Local milliners share joy of seeing their work come to life at this years Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - If you’re from Louisville, you’ve probably been asked “What high school did you go to?”

The two Louisville women in this story will answer that question with “duPont Manual” and it was there that Rachel Carroll and Kate Smith formed a bond, graduated, left Kentucky to explore their creativity in the world of fashion. 

Like a boomerang, they came right back home and are sharing their talents with others.

They created The Hat Girls, located in St. Matthews 211 Clover Lane.

“It’s an explosion of colors,” Carroll said.

The store is color blocked so it’s not so overwhelming for customers. Their business has grown quickly. They sell about 2,000 hats a year. They are even featured in this year’s First-Ever Churchill Downs Derby Style Guide for 150th Milestone Anniversary.

“It feels at this point like a dream come true,” Carroll said. “It’s all happened very organically and quickly over the last 12 years. We go to the Derby to see our hats.”

It’s all hands on deck for the ladies.

“We do have a certain look,” Carroll said. “I can’t really figure out how to describe it, but people tell us when they are at the track they know when it’s a Hat Girls hat. We use a lot of feathers.”

Everything from the classic “Southern Belle” style Derby hat to extravagant, show-stopping headpieces.

“This one is one of the pieces that was a collaboration with another local artist,” Smith explained. “He spray paints the roses and all kids of designs on them and we put them together and make it a nice Derby hat!”

Whether you desire a funky fascinator or a couture millinery piece, The Hat Girls have you covered.  The best part for them is to see their designs come to life. 

WAVE would like to thank the Hat Girls for providing several of the ladies of WAVE with a hat or fascinator for this year’s Derby events.

For more information click here.