Pinoy Mad Hatter's wild ideas: Fedora hat for PNoy, shoe-inspired tiara for Imelda

If he had his way, Pinoy “Mad Hatter” Harvey Santos would create for President Benigno Simeon Aquino III a hat with a yellow trim , and for former First Lady and Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, a tiara inspired by what else, shoes. 

 The 37-year-old Santos, who is based in London in the United Kingdom,  has created extraordinary hat designs – from flat sinamay hats laden with fake red roses, hats with towering bird feathers, hats inspired by the crown of thorns, to hats Lady Gaga would love.
 

Recently, Santos emerged as one of the runners-up among 93 contestants in Grazia Magazine’s “Hat Factor” millinery contest, which is part of the Cultural Olympiad, a series of events that celebrate the 2012 London Olympics.

The Yahoo news site said 29-year-old Sophie Beale, whose creation was inspired by the British seaside, won the contest.

The Yahoo article praised Santos saying: “Working on costume design means he knows how to make a piece with stage presence."

In an email to GMA News Online on Tuesday, Santos said his winning entry was inspired by the modern pentathlon which marks its 100th anniversary this year.

 

The modern pentathlon is a contest featuring five different events: fencing, swimming, horse-riding, running and pistol-shooting.

 

“My entry comprised of the first three,” he said. “Fencing, hence the mask; swimming, the wavy drapes; and riding, the bridle or harness. It was very straight to the point!”

 

He used a traditional material called “sinamay,” a material woven from abaca, which the judges loved, he said.

 

“I wasn’t thinking of a gender when I made the headpiece,” he explained. “I did have a shock-factor in mind and having it as a fashion editorial piece for Lady Gaga to wear.”

Hats for PNoy, Jose Rizal

 

GMA News Online asked Santos what designs he will make if given a chance to make hats for famous personalities and icons. Here are his mad ideas:

 

For President Aquino: “I’ll make him a nice panama fedora with a yellow trim. He’d look very smart in it.”

 

For Philippine national hero Jose Rizal: “He’s a tough cookie… I’ll make him a modern version of a male salakot. I’ve always loved the shape of it and I think it’s rather sexy on men!”

 

For Mrs. Marcos: “A hint of fun and a hint of anarchy… a tiara made of miniature high heel shoes!”

 

For PNoy's sister, actress and TV host Kris Aquino: “A beret with crystal details.”

 

For Queen Elizabeth II: “The Queen loves her Bretons and she’s very traditional and most of her hats are actually in sinamay.”

 

“The Hat Magazine”

 

Before becoming a milliner, Santos was a professional ballet dancer. He has performed solo roles and toured around Asia, Europe, and North America.

 

His fancy for hats all began with an invitation to a Halloween party sometime in October 2008. When he was shopping for a costume, he noticed and bought a magazine called “The Hat Magazine.”

 

“It opened up a whole new world for me,” he said. “The magazine has been my millinery fairy godmother!”

 

He contacted Rose Cory, who used to make hats to the late Queen Elizabeth, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, and signed up for a five-day millinery course with her.

 

“From then on, I went literally hat-mad and just kept on making hats,” said Santos.

 

In 2009, he entered his very first hat competition at the Royal Ascot where he won second place and had his hat featured in “The Hat Magazine.”

 

“I ended my dancing career in 2005,” he said. “I was also getting much older and have reached my peak. Upon leaving, I started Harvash Creations, designing and making costumes, wedding dresses and even hair and makeup!”

 

His official website can be found here: www.harvash.com - VVP, GMA News