From the Ascot races to royal weddings and coronations, the fascinator has become a mark of nobility and wealth. But it is no longer the preserve of those wielding titles and flush with cash. Weddings and official functions these days see a splash of these amazing creations donning elegant ladies from all walks of life. One might say, fascinators are fascinating little objets d’art! Bad pun aside, each piece gives the impression of having been painstakingly crafted with light yet sturdy materials that add whimsy and intrigue to the pieces. Their strangely elegant contortions and angles seem to be held together by invisible thread, while for those initiated in the ways of the fascinator, an adept clip or pin helps anchor the piece to one’s head, giving the impression of it being held there by sheer will. A fascinator’s grandeur and artistry makes one beg the question, “Who did that and how did they?”

Elisabeth Koch and her children

If you happen to see one of these stunning creations in the greater Beijing area, then you might be admiring the work of Elisabeth Koch, hatter extraordinaire who is the undisputed queen of all matters millinery in Beijing. Finding her professional beginnings in the financial sector, she would soon trace her path back to her childhood passions of creating things by hand, with an impending move to an unknown location being the catalyst she needed to pursue this passion. “I’ve always loved making things with my hands, and that’s something that I’ve basically done since I was born,” Koch explains, adding that she comes from a creative family, and an upbringing that encouraged upcycling with creativity rather than tossing out what was broken had left a yearning to explore what else she could do. Koch recalls making skirts from broken umbrellas as a child and having a particular fascination with her grandmother’s hats, amassing a large collection of her very own vintage hats to boot. It almost seems inevitable that she would look for and join a millinery college sooner or later, deciding to join one in London.

Even though Koch admits that the reception for her whimsical creations has been overwhelmingly positive, she wouldn’t have foreseen this after first arriving in Beijing in 2007. “When I came to Beijing in 2007, no one was making hats, at least no one was making hats like these.  All the hats were functional. They were designed to either keep you warm in winter or to keep the sun away in summer,” recalls Koch. Gradually she began injecting her ostentatious creations, showing up to parties with hats in the form of everything from the Eiffel tower to a lobster. These oddities generated a curiosity which saw a spark of interest transform into a trickle of orders, then becoming a large demand for Koch’s creations by top magazines all wanting to be part of this millinery-themed renaissance in Beijing.

Koch’s creations have graced covers of top magazines including Vogue, Elle, and Tatler just to mention a few, while generating thousands of pages of coverage in reputable journals. Her hats have also graced the heads of virtually every single Chinese megastar while also being shot by famed photographer Mario Testino for the 100th issue of Vogue China. Fan Bing Bing, Shuqi, Carl Smith, Stella McCartney, and even Queen Máxima of the Netherlands have been recipients of Koch’s one-of-a-kind designs. Despite these irrefutable successes, it still remains a challenge to dominate the vastness of such an industry as a one-woman army. Add to that, the responsibility of taking care of her three children, all of who were born in Beijing. Koch has learned to juggle her passion for her craft and her love for her family, saying “It’s helpful to have a space in which you can work that is not connected to the home. It is separated,” a practice she instituted upon the birth of her second son, moving her studio from her apartment to another location.

Since the successful entrance of Koch’s brand into the Chinese market, she has split it into two distinct brands: Pink label and Blue label.  Her Pink label deals exclusively with one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces that are on the higher end and are personally made by Koch herself, while the Blue label focuses on the reproduction, also by hand, of certain designs, with the production not exceeding fifty pieces. Koch’s designs still remain the industry leader, and it might be that she leaves on a high as Koch and her family are relocating to their native Netherlands permanently.  At the moment, she is searching for a talented individual with as much a passion for hats as she does to take the lead in the Chinese end of her business, while she continues designing and creating in the Netherlands.

As a parting shot, she encourages those with dreams and passions to pursue them. “Go for it, try it and see where it takes you. When I started I thought ‘who is going to want to buy and wear hats in China?’ My plan B was I would go back into the financial sector if It didn’t work out!” But she never looked back, and all hat enthusiasts in China breathe a collective, grateful sigh of relief. It is hard to imagine Beijing without Elisabeth Koch and her iconic creations.

Photos: Courtesy of Elisabeth Koch

If you are looking for a lunch commitment that combines Ascot and Ladies, you are in the right place to find some information. The British Club of Beijing is organizing the second annual Ascot Ladies lunch. This event will take place at the Ritz Carlton and promises to be a load of fun. The lunch will collect benefits for the HOPE (Horses Offering People Enrichment) charity.

There will be plenty of activities, like a silent auction on a painting from a well-known artist from the Beijing community. Raffle prizes you can win include a chutney making class with Reshma. Elisabeth Koch will be on hand to rent out some of her hats for the event.

Ascot is a racecourse in England for thoroughbred horses. The most important race, the Gold Cup, takes place on Ladies’ Day, when upper class women show off their dresses and particularly their hats. Now we can promise that no horses will be at this lunch. The ladies are however required to dress up Ascot-style and wear a hat to get in a fancy mood. The official Ascot website explains how to dress here.

Royal Ascot is synonymous with sartorial elegance. This is upheld by our dress code, which invites guests to contribute to an occasion heralded as a major fashion event in its own right.

Ritz Carlton will provide a lush lunch menu including grilled sea bass, butter chicken, grilled asparagus, Thai salad, berry trifle, sponge cake and much more. This event promises to be a elegant British affair right in the middle of Beijing.

Photos: Alec Booth

We at beijingkids are shopping lovers (me at least.) I have been finding cool shopping spots in Beijing, and this is another little gem that won’t disappoint. Elisabeth and Malinda share a great shopping space in Sanlitun, and welcome you to come and try on hats and find some frocks for winter. Today and tomorrow (November 15 and 16) from 10am to 3pm, these ladies will have a pre-Christmas studio sale. If you are looking for designer fashion Malinda is the woman for you; she has found fabulous pieces for me that I fit and treasure.

We all need a hat to wear to our many parties and events in Beijing, and Elisabeth can help you find the most suitable headwear for any occasion. Even if you don’t need a hat, trying them on is so much fun. I had a hat session myself, and can’t wait to return and do it again.

“Elisabeth Koch is a hat designer. This Beijing-based milliner offers custom-made & ready-to-wear hats for all occasions. Koch’s hats have been worn by royalty & celebrities worldwide. After 2 TED talks, Koch can give talks on hat-history, hat-etiquette & how hats are made.” Find out more about this hat lady here.

Elisabeth Koch Millinery Studio Address:
朝阳区幸福村中路锦绣园公寓D座204单元
Glory Gardens, Club House D-204, XingFuCun ZhongLu, Chaoyang

Picture credit: Vendors and Pauline van Hasselt