Meet renowned Milliner & Founder of the Academy Katherine

Founded by award-winning milliner Katherine Elizabeth, The Millinery & Business Academy, teaches you the technical skills to design and make beautiful hats, as well as the business foundations needed to share, sell, or simply grow your craft with confidence.

Hello!

I design and make hats from my studio in London, where I work across couture commissions, collections, and creative education. My work sits between craft, sculpture, and function. I’m interested in shape, structure, and the way a piece changes how someone feels when they wear it.

Over the years, I’ve also built a global online academy to share both the technical and business side of millinery, from first stitches to running a sustainable creative businesses.

It's grown into a community of hundreds of women, many of whom have gone on to build businesses of their own, and honestly, it's become just as much a part of my work as the hats themselves.

“I couldn’t have imagined, years ago, that my dream of becoming a Milliner would grow into an award-winning millinery business and academy teaching internationally.”

Katherine xo

Where it all started

I began my career working under established milliners in London, learning the foundations of traditional hat making while assisting on studio work and fashion projects. Early commissions led to collaborations with designers, stylists, and brands across both couture and event millinery.

Like many creative careers, it developed gradually, through studio practice, client work, and ongoing experimentation with materials and form. Over time, my focus shifted toward sculptural millinery and larger statement pieces, particularly for racewear, bridal, and editorial work.

As demand for both my work and process grew, I began teaching. What started as in-person workshops evolved into a structured online academy, designed to give students access to the same technical foundations and business understanding used in a working millinery studio.

Today, The Millinery & Business Academy brings together all of this experience in one place - technique, process, and the commercial reality of building a creative practice. And is one of my most favourite places in the world!

Why I started the Academy...

Millinery is a highly technical craft, but also a viable creative business when approached with the right structure.The Academy was created to make that pathway clearer not just how to make hats, but how to build a practice around them that is sustainable, confident, and commercially aware.

Ways to learn from me

The Millinery & Business Academy

A step-by-step introduction to millinery, guiding you through making your first headpiece.

Community

A friendly and welcoming community of Millinery enthusiast led by Katherine Elizabeth

80+ Self led courses

Instant access to over 80 courses, each with step by step lessons to help you learn 

Expert advice

Access to training by award winning Milliners PLUS weekly live sessions with Katherine

Take a short course

Step-by-step course showing you how to shape and construct a sculptural silk abaca bow

Private Tuition Sessions

One-on-one Millinery sessions with Katherine herself, either in person at her London studio or online

It’s time to make your dream of owning a creative business come to life

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