that kind of craftsmanship is going
to get more and more exclusive,
elusive and expensive."
Fortunately Winter's talents for
design run in the family, with her
mum, Dawn, tasked with creat-
ing the delicate silk blooms which
adorn many of Winter's creations.
Winter points to a workspace cov-
ered with bold silk flowers in vari-
ous stages of completion.
"The handmade flowers take at
least four days to make for one hat.
I don't think many people realise
how much time and technique goes
into each piece," she says.
"We make patterns for all the dif-
ferent flowers so we cut them out
piece by piece. Each petal is hand
tooled then pieced together.
"They don't just come out of a box
from China. Well, mine don't!"
With Rosehill Gardens' Longines
Golden Slipper Carnival and The
Championships at Royal Randwick
fast approaching, Winter is prepar-
ing for long days in the studio as
she puts the finishing touches on
her clients' intricate raceday head-
pieces. But it's a labour of love, and
she is excited about the future of
millinery and her plans to expand
the reach of her eponymous brand.
"My new website is the first chap-
ter of my global dream," she says,
grinning.
www.neridawinter.com
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