Milliner

Milliners design and manufacture hats and other headwear.

A milliner typically does the following:

• Cuts pattern from material to desired size and shape, using original design or adapting or copying existing model.
• Lays pattern on material and cuts material, following pattern.
• Molds, drapes, and blocks material, using hat forms and steam iron.
• Sews lining and other sections of hat together and trims with materials, such as ribbon, veil, feathers, and flowers, using needle and thread or sewing machine.
• Reproduces hats in various colors and materials.
• Alters stock hats to customer’s wishes by changing ornaments and veiling.

A milliner would normally work 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. They usually work in an air conditioned workshop. If they work in a large organisation, they may only perform one part of the process and so the work can be very repetitive.

The following job titles also refer to milliner:

hat maker
custom headwear manufacturer
hatter
headwear manufacturer
headgear manufacturer

A high school diploma is generally the minimum required to work as a milliner. Otherwise, a vocational qualification in millinery is acceptable.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Milliner is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to milliner.

glove maker
sewing machinist
embroiderer
embroidery machine operator
sewing machine operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of milliner. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of milliner with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

clothing process control technician
textile sourcing merchandiser
textile chemical quality technician
textile operations manager
clothing CAD technician

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of milliner.

• Apparel manufacturing technology: Traditional and advanced apparel manufacturing technologies. Technologies including processes, machinery, etc. in order to compile and design pattern requirements, contribute to product costing and finalise assembly sequence and quality assurance criteria.

These skills are necessary for the role of milliner.

• Manufacture wearing apparel products: Manufacture either mass-product or bespoke wearing apparels of various types, assembling and joining together wearing apparel components using processes such as sewing, gluing, bonding. Assemble wearing apparel components using stitches, seams such as collars, sleeves, top fronts, top backs, pockets.
• Distinguish accessories: Distinguish accessories in order to determine differences among them. Evaluate accessories based on their characteristics and their application in wearing apparel manufacturing.
• Use manual sewing techniques: Use manuel sewing and stitching techniques to manufacture or repair fabrics or textile-based articles.
• Distinguish fabrics: Distinguish fabrics in order to determine differences among them. Evaluate fabrics based on their characteristics and their application in wearing apparel manufacturing.
• Sew pieces of fabric: Operate basic or specialised sewing machines whether domestic or industrial ones, sewing pieces of fabric, vinyl or leather in order to manufacture or repair wearing apparels, making sure the threads are selected according to specifications.
• Design wearing apparel: Use analytical skills, creativity, and recognise future trends in order to design wearing apparel.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of milliner. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Buttonholing: The methods of buttonholing using specialised buttonholing machines in order to make buttonholes to wearing apparel.
• History of fashion: Costumes and the cultural traditions around clothing.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of milliner. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Use textile technique for hand-made products: Using textile technique to produce hand-made products, such as carpets, tapestry, embroidery, lace, silk screen printing, wearing apparel, etc.
• Create mood boards: Create mood boards for fashion or interior design collections, gathering different sources of inspirations, sensations, trends, and textures, discussing with the people involved in the project to make sure that the shape, design, colours, and the global genre of the collections fit the order or the related artistic project.
• Decorate textile articles: Decorate wearing apparels and made up textile articles by hand or using machines. Decorate textile articles with ornaments, braided cords, golden yarns, soutaches, jewellery, and cristals.

7531 – Tailors, dressmakers, furriers and hatters

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References

1. Milliner – ESCO
2. Milliners | Jobs and Skills WA
3. Milliner – Job Description – CareerPlanner.com
4. Featured image: By Carles martí botella – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0