Meet my clients

“I was so thrilled with my custom made hat from Joanna Zara. I chose her for the elegance and chic simplicity of her designs. She advised me expertly through my choices and the final hat was beyond expectation. Just wonderful! I really loved wearing it and had so many compliments.”

cath Kidston

It was such a pleasure to work with Cath. She was looking for a hat to wear at a family wedding and contacted me after seeing my work online. We managed the entire the process remotely, with Zoom calls to her beautiful home in the Cotswolds - and Greece!

(Cath left her namesake company in 2016 and is no longer affiliated or associated with it, but she has since founded print and pattern studio @joyofprint and has recently launched British body care brand @C.Atherlylondon)

jason kirk

Jason is one half of the very talented couple behind British eyewear brand Kirk & Kirk. We met at a networking event where I shamelessly offered to barter a hat for a pair of frames. Here is the result - and no we didn’t consult on outfits before taking those photos!

We had a great day. I felt great! I think it really suits me, and I got lots of compliments on my ensemble.

jane, Brighton

“I completely & totally LOVED every second of wearing my hat and dress and had so many really lovely comments about my outfit – I was quite unprepared for this to happen - and all thanks to you two!! I even had two random strangers who were standing outside the cathedral watching, tell me they had picked me as wearing the best wedding outfit!!!! Truly, you are both incredibly talented & made me feel super-special at a very important event for our family. Thank you so, so much! Love from Emma x”

EMMA B

(Emma’s dressmaker was the super-talented Melanie Roberts)

“I want you to know this hat is me completely. It's just me. I love it. It feels like an extension of my personality my voice. I can't thank you enough. Haven't taken it off since I arrived at home! So very happy. Thank you. Xxx ❤️”

Catrina B, Brighton

Catrina and I first met in 2016 when she won one of my hats at a charity auction for Brighton and Hove children’s charity Rockinghorse. We soon discovered we had mutual connections in the music industry. Since then she has been a regular client, treating herself to a variety of trilbies and fedoras as well as this Panama - and a very special cap to wear to an Old Grey Whistle Test reunion.

“Morning Joanna, The hat is absolutely perfect! It fits like a glove, lighter than I could possibly have imagined, the shape is magnificent and all the feathers are intact. When I finally get a day with some good weather, I shall get all dressed up, get some nice photos taken and show it off to the world! I’m so lucky to have met you, you have made a dream come true.”

SPIKE G, LEEDS

Meet the wonderful and charming Spike. He is (in his own words) an “aspiring period dresser”. We first met when he was in his first year at University and he was looking for a straw tricorn. His commissions are always intriguing and challenging. All our consultations have been “remote bespoke” over Skype - and I am so pleased with the results.

Keep scrolling for images of further collaborations (during which time Spike has graduated and is now doing his Masters!).

images of Spike courtesy of @vanillatea.1890s and @_luna_effects_ for western hat

“Special events require special hats - and there is no better milliner to provide you with that special hat than Joanna Zara. Joanna will carefully match the hat to your outfit but most particularly she'll match the hat to your head shape. It will then be secure and you'll be able to move through your day of celebration without a worry. And look great! Joanna has just created my third hat and I can't speak highly enough of her professional expertise.”

Geraldine W, Sussex

“There’s something about a hat, especially a brimmed hat, that means the relationship between the person wearing it and the person they’re looking at is intensified; it amplifies both the gaze and the focus. It’s so powerful. I put the hat on and for five minutes it was something, but long before I reached Victoria I was very comfortable with it; I actually wanted people to notice me. I was like yeah, look at me, I’m supporting the Rooks! “

KAREN DOBRES of lewes fc in conversation with writer Lucy Flannery

I had the pleasure of creating this special hat for Karen. Karen is a passionate advocate for equality in football and is a director at Lewes FC. Their #EqualityFC movement has been steadfastly campaigning for equal pay for women in football over the years, winning widespread coverage for the cause (oh, and an award from the UN no less).

The hat features the club colours and a chess piece (the castle) as a symbolic reference to the team’s “Rooks” nickname. Karen wore it on the very special occasion when Lewes FC Women played Manchester United WFC, both at the game itself and on the solo train journey up from the south coast.

"Hi Joanna, I have enclosed some photos of the hat on the day. Everyone commented on it, everyone said it was just "so me". And it really made my outfit and I felt really lovely. Even the photographer was impressed and said he had never seen a hat on a bride like it. A large photo with me wearing the hat is now in his studio and on his website! Thank you once again, the hat was perfect and exactly how I wanted it. It now sits pride of place in a display cabinet in my bedroom."

rachel p, great yarmouth

“Hi Joanna,

Just wanted to let you know that the hat was a great success and much admired. I was photographed and asked about the hat by Ascot media and the lady commented on how well made it was. I felt the hat was absolutely perfect with my outfit and the occasion.

Thank- you!

Will be in touch when I need another!"

Denny, Hove

“My lucky day when I found Joanna on the internet. Would highly recommend. A very talented lady, with great empathy.

I thoroughly enjoyed my hat experience. Thank you for making me the most beautiful, perfect hat for my day at Ascot. X”

JO W, sussex

“I just want to reiterate what I said yesterday when I came to collect the hat you were making for me.

It was perfect quite beyond my expectations. In fact as I said at the time, 100% absolutely wonderful. You were so lovely to work with and managed not only to create a hat that suited my face and outfit but you read my personality really well and created the hat that exactly complemented it.

When I showed my husband his first word was "stunning" and then "very elegant". I shall feel so happy and confident wearing it. Thank you again so much. I just wish I had many more special events to attend which all required special hats!”

jane M, hove