Leading milliner says stylists are ruining the Melbourne Cup Carnival
A top milliner, who spends days creating bespoke designs says stylists are ruining the Melbourne Cup Carnival and hurting small businesses — this is how.
Confidential
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A leading milliner has slammed dodgy stylists who she says are ruining the Melbourne Cup Carnival for the hard workers.
Milliner Danica Erard says she was commissioned by a stylist to create looks for an Oaks Day guest only to have her expensive pieces lost in the mail with no answers.
“It is a problem and there’s the great stylists, but the bad ones are popping up everywhere and are ruining it for them,’’ said Erard, from Danica Erard Millinery.
“It’s now stick with who you know is reputable and who respects the work we do or don’t go near them.
“At what point do they think of the small business person creating the product for them to ‘style’ and realise the costs/overheads risks that have gone into each and every stitch.
“Do they have a family? And how it all affects them when they’ve spent days on customs and then not a single response to ask “are you ok? Did your pieces turn up? Can I help you with costs in any way?’ No.”
Erard has created hats and headpieces for the likes of Bec Judd, Zara Phillips, Lady Gaga and Nadia Bartel.
Over the Melbourne Cup Carnival she designed over 450 pieces, including for Rachel Griffiths, Jane Scandizzo, Jennifer Keyte and Tayla Damir.
Erard’s sentiment was echoed by leading designer Silvana Tedesco.
She said: “It’s way too common, stylists get paid to style and the designer is just meant to foot the bill for so called exposure and then never get tagged. The stylist is given all the credit.
“It’s time to start saying no. It’s really hard to find a great stylist you can trust, there are really only a few good ones left.”
Jill Humphries of Millinery Jill, spoke also out about the issue on the eve of the Carnival. She posted: “A gentle reminder if you are getting paid to go to a race day, or your stylist is getting paid, or if you just think you deserve free hats (wtf) pay your milliner.”
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Erard, who is based in Queensland, said her small business is suffering.
“I know others feel the same and it’s not an isolated incident,’’ she said.
“But why should I sit back and let people treat others like this.
“I’m dealing with some amazing stylists but like every industry there’s some bad ones.
“Treat people fairly because this is how hard I’ve worked for you.
“The only way to go now is to look after those who look after you.”