An Arundel milliner on winning a business award and how the 'journey' started

I hear that you have just won an award. Tell me more. Yes, it is so exciting! Our Arundel hat shop, Isabella Josie, has just won the New Business of the Year in the Arun Business Partnership Awards. The judges said that they were impressed by how much our business has already achieved and our positive reputation from our clients.

Are awards like this important? Achieving this award from our business community has given me a huge morale boost as it provides external confirmation that Isabella Josie has strong foundations in place.

As well as handcrafting award-winning hats I want Isabella Josie to be known for excellent customer service and the difference it makes to the local community. Since opening our Arundel hat shop we have provided work experience opportunities and host a weekly social stitching group to bring people together. The award judges recognised this aspect of our work and this has given me confidence that we are remaining true to our value of ‘empowering others through millinery’.

Will you tell me about your journey as a milliner? My journey as a milliner all started with a wedding invitation. I just couldn’t find the ‘right hat’ and discover an inherent desire to learn how to create my own.

I learnt the art of hat making from a range of milliners who are Royal Warrant holders for The Royal Family. This high end, couture finish can be seen throughout my work and its hand-stitched nature enables each hat to be worn more than once as it can re-trimmed for future events.

In March I took a huge leap of faith and gave up my job as an education adviser to open my own hat shop. You will now find me in the shop with needle in hand or running our hat parties or workshops.

A 13-year-old Chichester water skier | Vicky Meets

What's next for you? Hats are such confidence givers and as well as adding a finishing touch to an outfit enable the wearer to express their own sense of style and personality.

In today’s world, hats are generally worn for special occasions or as protection from the elements. In order to provide our clients with these ‘hat benefits’ on a daily basis I have been developing a range of high-quality handcrafted hair accessories – these will be launched in the new year alongside our 2023 spring/ summer hat collection.

Over the last few months I have focused my energies into making the most of the space in my physical shop. As well as bespoke hats, we stock a range of men’s hats which are proving very popular. Alongside this we offer a range of haberdashery items which I use in my millinery work. It’s great to have a flow of people regularly popping in for their threads, fabrics and other sewing items.

Where can we find more info? Pop into our Arundel hat shop (inside the shopping arcade on Tarrant Street). Online isabellajosie.com; email: hello@isabellajosie.com

An Arundel milliner on winning a business award and how the 'journey' started | Vicky Meets