What is millinery?

Millinery is the art of designing, blocking and trimming head wear using the finest materials. The word millinery was derived from the city of Milan, known for producing beautiful materials used in hat making.  Tonya Gross Millinery uses traditional hat making techniques to produce modern couture and ready-to-wear head wear.

From hedge fund to head wear.

Tonya’s love for hats started at a young age. Finding hats in antique shops, deconstructing them and remaking them with beautiful trims, was her creative outlet and a way develop her personal style.  At 35, and many years into the financial services industry, Tonya had her “career epiphany”. Tonya left the hedge fund industry (and financial security) with a goal to lead a more creative life that would utilize her background in finance and love of design and accessories to launch her own business.  Tonya studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to hone her skills and design aesthetic while exploring materials, sculpture, and hand sewing.  Tonya won a Raymond Hudd Millinery Award for Best Collection from the School’s fashion department. 

Tonya Gross produces seasonal, bridal and Kentucky Derby couture and ready-to-wear hat collections. She also collaborates with clients to produce one-of-a-kind head wear and has produced hats for the cast of the Real Housewives of New Jersey and designer Pamella Roland for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.  Tonya was awarded Hat Life Publishing’s “Hatty Award” for her contributions to millinery in 2008. 

Why hats?!

In 2007, Tonya Gross Millinery was launched in East Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL, with goals to:  build a sustainable and profitable business, make a substantial contribution to the resurgence of hat manufacturing in the US, and to create new jobs in the fledgling Chicago fashion industry through an MIT or “milliner in training” program.   

“One of the many joys of creating head wear is helping others exude confidence and identify his or her unique personal style.  When someone tells me, ‘I don’t look good in hats,’ or ‘my head is too small or too big,’ I look at this as a problem to solve!” says Tonya.  “I aim to evoke confidence and uniqueness with every quality hand-finished hat that will endure the test of time and trends.  I like the idea of pushing a traditional industry like millinery forward, using old techniques to make new, modern accessories.”

Shop Tonya Gross Millinery on Zappos.com!

JLynn Hausmann is a young and talented denim designer who launched a new denim brand called JHaus.  Her fresh and progressive brand is steadily gaining attention for its trend-setting styles. Hausmann credits her Midwest roots for the inspiration behind her collection and has developed a style that is uniquely her own.  She incorporates Americana motifs in a way that few other designers can.

JLynn attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln but took the opportunity to study abroad in London and Paris. There she became increasingly exposed to and interested in fashion.

JLynn proceeded to obtain her master’s degree in Business Administration in Arizona.

Raised on a farm and ranch, JLynn grew up with a less-is-more mentality. These genuine Midwest roots inspired JLynn’s use of denim in her designs. Using strong basic fabrics, she is still able to capture a flowing beauty in the designs. 

When wearing jeans with embellishments was a major trend, JLynn saw the gratuitous bells and whistles as adulterating the true nature of the fabric.  Her designs use denim in a completely different way – employing restraint and achieving beauty through the rugged fabric.

Fearlessly taking the conventional and making it unconventional is what drives JLynn. Her work with JHaus Denim is gaining momentum, as well as critical acclaim, in the industry.  Deidre Crawford, Technology Editor of the Fashion Industries Guild, lauded JLynn’s work in California Apparel News: “one of the most innovative creations of the night was a backless stretch-denim dress adorned with chicken wire, created by mid-West designer JLynn Hausmann of JHAUS premium denim.

Living by the motto that accessories make the outfit, Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Anne Yang (pictured below) has always loved creating jewelry. She launched her first Ayana Designs collection in 2011. 

Within a year, her necklaces have landed two magazine covers, including one featuring Kendall Jenner, and made an appearance on The Voice.

Every piece is a labor of love, and handcrafting one item can take days to create. Techniques such as embroidery, looming and cagework are used to create intricate beaded details in her jewelry pieces.

Melding these old-world techniques with a modern and glam style is what sets Ayana Designs apart. Add in crystals, rhinestones and pearls with shots of vibrant colors, and you have the accessory that will make your outfit.

Mixing youthfulness with grown-up sensibilities and sweetness with an edgy vibe, the Ayana Designs collection of bold necklaces, colorful bracelets and earrings is luxe statement jewelry for the modern woman.

“For that woman who knows what she wants.”™ 

G.I.A. Luxe is a handbag line created for the Gorgeous, Intelligent and Ambitious woman. She’s bold, sassy, and definitely knows what she wants in life. She lives in the moment and always seems to be the center of attention. She is strong, beautiful and uncompromising. The G.I.A. Luxe woman is in every woman. From the older, wiser lady who’s set in her ways, to the youthful bachelorette just starting her career, to the mom/wife who is the ultimate multitasker, to the powerful corporate woman whose confidence does the talking before she ever speaks a word…

G.I.A. Luxe strives to design handbags to suit every woman’s desire for style and functionality. This contemporary designer handbag line is known for its bold textural palette of exotic leathers mixed with a sophisticated color palette.

Founded by British-Indian designer Sheetal Patel, G.I.A. Luxe caters to bold, sassy women everywhere. Their quality handbags are all made in the U.S.A. and offers attainable luxury at its best.

Growing up in London, Sheetal watched The Clothes Show every week with her mother. At a young age, she already knew what type of woman she wanted to be: stylish, sassy, sexy, and has her own unique sense of style. Being an entrepreneur ran in her blood. Sheetal’s father moved to the U.S. so he could realize his dream of owning hotels.  Subsequently, she takes her father’s ambition and uses it to live out her own dreams.

By the age of 25, Sheetal had graduated with two degrees, a Bachelor of Science in Merchandising (emphasis in marketing) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design.

Sheetal Patel’s diverse background, having been raised in Europe and lived in the Middle East, is clearly reflected in G.I.A. Luxe. Her use of bold, rich colors is also a direct influence of her Indian heritage. She named G.I.A. Luxe after her five-year-old daughter Gia (who she playfully refers to as “sassy pants”). 

It is the main mission of G.I.A. Luxe to provide fine quality handbags in bold, engaging designs for all the Gorgeous, Intelligent and Ambitious women out there. Zappos.com is proud to have Sheetal Patel as the newest addition to our Emerging Designer Program.

Leah Ketcham (left), the co-founder and designer of Krickette, was highly influenced by the vibrant culture of India during a trip she took back in 2009. In awe of the embroidery, color dyeing and block printing, as well as the unique fabrics and beads artistically woven into the material, Leah became passionate about creating a handbag line that reflected the culture of lands so distant, yet near to her heart. Leah developed collections to share with kindred spirits who have a hunger for travel, crafts, and the work of local artisans. 

Krickette is respectful of the issues that affect our daily lives as it integrates "green" and organic materials such as natural beads and jute. The brand embraces the local workforce and manufactures some of its products in the garment industry in downtown Los Angeles. This colorful handbag brand seeks to improve the lives of mothers and children by securing its textiles and artisan touches from charitable community groups in foreign lands.

Krickette’s handbag and travel bag collections are timeless and do not fall into a seasonal category. They are to be enjoyed by women around the globe who appreciate fun, chic and leisure-oriented clothing. Krickette’s clients are citizens of the world, with a sense of whimsy and irreverence.

“A personality so unique deserves a handbag to match.”  This is the mantra behind Crave by Carli Rae Vergamini.

A true entrepreneur at heart, Carli Rae was always destined to start her own business from a young age. During her first year of high school, she rebelled against the norms of high school fashion and started her own line of custom tees and accessories with her best friend called Vergamimi & Smith.

After studying apparel design at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and London College of Fashion, the Wisconsin native started Crave as a creative outlet and a way to get her foot into the competitive fashion industry. Taking her love for fashion and sewing along with the inspiration she gained from her semester in London, the young designer was inspired to take Crave to the next level!

After a year of seeing success with Crave in local boutiques and online, Vergamini knew that working in a cubicle or designing under someone else’s name was no longer an option. She was ready to venture out with her own brand for good.

Crave by Carli Rae Vergamini handbags use fun and eclectic resources such as up-cycled leather, vintage findings as well as fabrics fresh from the bolt. Using a handmade process, each Crave handbag is designed to be truly one of a kind!

Cayetano Legacy Collection, Inc., our latest Zappos Emerging Designer, was founded by three sisters, Karen Cayetano-Leano, Gail Cayetano and Christine Cayetano-Brigino, after recognizing a need for women’s jewelry showcasing beautifully sourced materials from the Philippine Islands. As first generation Filipino-Americans, the sisters wanted to bring worldwide attention to the beauty from this lush country and heritage.

The Cayetano Legacy Collection features bold statement necklaces made from the finest natural materials. Their show-stopping designs are destined to be the centerpiece of your wardrobe! Each Cayetano necklace livens up even the simplest ensemble for style that’s beautifully effortless. 

Check out the rest of the collection HERE.

1. The Delia, 2. The Beverly, 3. The Marvic

ICJUK (Inspired by Claire Jane) is a line of custom vintage feathered handbags and hair accessories described by many as “sophisticated rock n’ roll’ taking colorful fabrics, exotic prints, feathers and eye-catching vintage embellishments to create the ultimate in rocker chic and elegance. Claire Jane’s one-of-a-kind accessories are proudly worn and adorned by a growing list of exclusive clients from all over.

Claire Jane Vranian started work in the film industry at the legendary Pinewood Studios and moved to Los Angeles in 1994. She was recruited by ‘Two Hours in the Dark’ a makeup effects/production company. Over the next 17 years she would work on various commercials, television shows, pop promos as well as over 40 motion pictures - working closely with writers, directors, painters, sculptors, actors and artists of every kind. 

Back in 2009, Claire Jane felt the need to express herself creatively with something that was personal to her. After working in such a rich environment of creativity for so many years, along with her life-long love of fashion and music, ICJUK  was born. 

“I feel if you are going to wear accessories, make it count and make a statement! Growing up in England, I was influenced by so many different things--traveling, theatre, films and of course, music. The Royal Wedding was very high fashion and formal and that also inspired me to create more of my hair fascinators, I think it’s imbedded in my British culture!,” - Claire Jane.