In Memory of Deirdre Hawken: An Inspirational Milliner and QEST Scholar

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of milliner and QEST Scholar, Deirdre Hawken. QEST’s CEO, Deborah Pocock, shared: “Deirdre was an extraordinary woman – a fabulous milliner and much treasured member of the QEST family. She will be very sadly missed.”

Deirdre trained in set and costume design at Central St Martins, and this training informed her work as a designer working in the theatre, where an eye for precision and detail was essential. In 1999 she was awarded a QEST Scholarship to study millinery with Rose Cory, the late Queen Mother’s milliner, and built a remarkable career exhibiting and selling her work across the UK and internationally.

Her playful and exquisitely made hats have featured in renowned museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Kyoto Costume Institute, Japan.

Deirdre was recognised with professional honours including becoming a Fellow of the Society of Designer Craftsmen (1997), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1998), and election to the Crafts Council Photostore of Selected Makers (1999). In 2021 she was named a Master Artisan by the Michelangelo Foundation.

Deirdre’s artistry, creativity and dedication to her craft will continue to inspire future generations of makers and milliners.