Photograph of the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "Chez Moi" hat on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "Confection" hat by Tommy Cobau on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of contemporary and historical hats on pedestals topped with plexiglass boxes on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of contemporary and historical hats on pedestals topped with plexiglass boxes on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of contemporary and historical hats on pedestals topped with plexiglass boxes on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of a green onion-inspired "Salad Daze" top hat by Broadway milliner and competition judge Cigmond Meachen, alongside a beaded hat from the 1930 on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of a hat by Adolfo and coordinated dress by Emilio Pucci on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph a hat by Dallas-based Ian Dellar on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of hat titled “Karita, or is it safe to come out yet?” on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of the introductory panel mounted for the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of the Irene suit and coordinated hat embroidered on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of “The Ladybirds Gift Basket” on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "Pearl Noodles" hat on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "Pearl Noodles" hat on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph "Puccino" Braniff Airways hostess uniform on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "Queen Bee" hat by Karen Geraghty on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of "School Dance" hat by Trish Hirschkorn on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Photograph of a variety of historic and contemporary hats on display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.

Video of 1939 Walter Florell hat, exhibition text read: As dynamic accessories, hats often allow designers and wearers to stretch the edges of traditional expression. This playfully oversized hat draws inspiration from the designer’s heritage, recalling the Tyrolean hats worn as part of German tradition and at Oktoberfest celebrations. Typically worn by men, this piece was marketed as a women’s accessory, the whimsical scale and dramatic feather shifting the design from folk to fashion and from masculine to feminine. Vanessa Lopez (American) "Old Fashioned" hat, with artist statement: Artist statement Chicago is the birthplace of not only Bes-Ben millinery but also the hometown of a 1940s favorite cocktail, the Old-Fashioned! This turban-style bandeau hat pays homage to both Windy City icons. Much like a proper Old-Fashioned cocktail, this hat would not be complete without its garnish. To mirror the use of unconventional materials in many Bes-Ben designs, a beaded ribbon of dehydrated orange skin, an artificial cherry, and a pheasant feather cocktail pick accent the hat, complete the aesthetic of the Old-Fashioned cocktail. Cheers to two Chicago legends! In background, late 1930s Hattie Carnegie design, exhibition text read: The relationship between feathers and hats has been historically fraught. In the …

Video of Allison Lyndes's hat “Roll for Initiative," the first prize winner for the Milliners Guild exhibition. Artist statement read: A whimsical, modern silhouette features motifs drawn from both the game Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) and game-themed Bes-Ben hats. To 'Roll For Initiative' in D&D determines players’ turn order—the higher number you roll, the more courageous your character is in joining in the action. The central button base evokes a dragon’s hoard, encrusted with several hundred beads and 140 hand-drilled polyhedral gaming dice individually stitched to the hat. A hand-painted miniature hero figurine poses as if challenging the dragon. Bes-Ben was also a storyteller in hats, and I was inspired to combine the exuberance of both D&D and his work in my design.

Photograph of "Puccino" Braniff Airways hostess uniformon display during the spring 2022 exhibition "Hats: Humor and High Design" at NorthPark Center. The exhibit features pieces from the Texas Fashion Collection's permanent holdings alongside contemporary designs selected by a juried panel arranged by the Milliners Guild. The exhibit was co-curated by millinery Laura Del Villaggio and TFC director Annette Becker.