Crystal Birch⁸⁶

Crystal Birch

Wonderland may have had the Mad Hatter, but South Africa has Crystal Birch — and we think we’re winning this hypothetical competition. Crystal Birch’s extraordinary take on classic millinery has planted this young designer firmly at the top of local hat-making talent, and her designs on the heads of the most fashion-forward. After studying fashion design at the Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion in Stellenbosch, Crystal spent time mastering the art of hat-making in London under the guidance of some of the finest talents in the business, namely Noel Stewart and Piers Atkinson, and soon returned to take the local market by storm. And take it by storm she did: each of her boleros, beanies, boaters, and berets are eye-catching and unmistakably unique. Crystal Birch even managed to make masks and visors look cool — need we say more?