Gill Stratton is the owner and creative director of Mille Fleurs. She took over the long-established business in 2019 after 16 years of training and working alongside founder Jane Cave, who herself had trained for six years with world-renowned milliner Graham Smith at his London atelier. 

Gill’s journey into millinery began in 2003 as a Mille Fleurs customer. She commissioned a bespoke hat for her brother’s wedding from Jane – just as her mum had done for Gill’s own wedding several years earlier. At that time, Gill was working in an office but had started to follow her dream of a more creative role by studying millinery at the London School of Fashion in the evenings. After a frank talk from a colleague about pursuing what she was passionate about, Gill seized the opportunity of being in Jane’s company to explain that she was an aspiring milliner. Graciously, instead of accepting money for the Dior-shaped hat with curled feathers, Jane asked Gill to work in the shop for a few days. A few days has become a lifelong career, during which Gill has taken on an apprentice of her own, Alice Harvey. 

Our Legacy
The discipline and inspiration Jane drew from working in a prestigious couture workroom that designed hats for icons such as Princess Diana, Joan Collins and Elizabeth Taylor laid the perfect foundations for her to open Mille Fleurs in 1997. The influence of Graham Smith continues to this day, with the craftsmanship and passion for perfection she learned from the master milliner passed on over those 16 years to Gill. 

Our Ethos
Our ethos is simple: to create beautiful and individual hats and headpieces to suit our clients. Each bespoke hat is made on-site, by hand, using traditional millinery techniques to create a flawless finish. 

Our attention to detail, whether it’s a large picture hat or a tiny fascinator, means that each headpiece is hand-blocked and stitched, and made uniquely for each client, taking into account personality, outfit choice and venue. We also take time to consider the balance required for a hat to flatter and finish an outfit beautifully.   

Our Hats
We release a new Spring/Summer collection of hats and headpieces each year to coincide with horseracing events such as Royal Ascot and the Derby, weddings, garden parties and investitures. These handmade hats provide inspiration for our client commissions but are available to purchase as ready-to-wear pieces – perfect if time is of the essence. 

Alongside the bespoke millinery service, at Mille Fleurs we also offer a selection of super-special, ready-to-wear hats. These hats are completely unique, often incorporating vintage and rare materials that cannot be repeated, making each piece an heirloom. 

We also stock a wonderful range of casual and seasonal hats and accessories, which can be purchased either online or in our Otford shop.