No one who loves hats can resist the wonderful tale of Philip Treacy, the Irish hatter. Born in County Galway to a large family (seven brothers and a sister), Treacy was taught to hold a sewing needle by his village school teacher. With the needle, he has gone on to free the hat from the dictums of fashions and trends, creating sculptures for the crown out of veils, feathers, artificial flowers, straw and gauze, as well as shadows and illusion. "I think and hope I have changed the way we look at hats," he reflects. "They are no longer symbols of conformity but highly individual acts of rebellion. I am constantly challenging the perception of what a hat should be and what role it should play."