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About
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About
Ferdinand
Hats
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The
"Ferdinand" Hat
at
MAGGIE
MAE DESIGNS®
Custom
Couture Millinery by Sally Faith Steinmann
MAGGIE
MAE DESIGNS®
recently
participated in a very special fundraising event to benefit Old
Friends of Kentucky called "Ferdinand's Ball:
Helping
Legacies Live On". MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
created
this stunning couture Derby hat design to honor 1986 Kentucky
Derby winner, Ferdinand. The "Ferdinand" hat was put up
for bid as part of the silent auction at the Ball on April 29th at
the Frazier Museum in Louisville just two days before the Kentucky
Derby.
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1986
Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand
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Sired
by Roberto and out of Outward Sunshine, Ferdinand's achievements
include the 1986 Kentucky Derby and the 1987 Breeder's Cup
Classic. Ferdinand also received Horse of the Year honors in 1987.
Just
creating a hat to celebrate a Kentucky Derby winner is an honor.
But creating a hat to celebrate the life of Ferdinand is a
privilege. Indeed, it was a privilege that required a very special
design. The design began with a rich cinnamon-tinted "chestnut"
dupioni silk for the body of the hat. A wispy outer brim layer was
then created from nearly 5 yards of chocolate tulle, gathered and
hand-stitched, layer upon layer and attached to the outer edge of
the hat's stiff brim. The overall effect reminds one of how this
equine athlete must have looked on that first Saturday in May as
he flew through that narrow opening of horses and glided to the
Derby finish line with mane and tail flying.
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Ferdinand's
racing colors for owners Elizabeth and Howard Keck were pink and
blue, and these colors were used as the primary color palette for
this elegant hat. An innovative underbrim design of carefully
pleated shell pink dupioni silk adds a surprising bit of glowing
textured magic whenever the wearer's head is tilted up even
slightly.
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To
continue the color scheme, a shimmering cinnamon-tinted blue
metallic taffeta sash was created for the crown of the hat.
Depending upon the angle of the sun and the way it catches
the fibers of the taffeta, one will see an alternating flash
of blue and cinnamon, almost as if the horse's own chestnut
coat was reflecting the blue sky above on that glorious
Derby day so many years ago.
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At
the very back seam of the hat, a striking "pinwheel"
of ruched blue taffeta with a giant fabric-covered button
center adds yet another element of surpise, and creates a hat
that is equally stunning both coming and going!
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The
crowning glory of the "Ferdinand" chapeau is a gorgeous
multi-layered pink rose curl placed a bit off-center in the front
of the hat. Created from layers of pink satin, dupioni silk and
organza, this stunning 7-inch rose with petals opened wide looks
so real that one might actually imagine its fragrance on a warm
Louisville breeze. A mix of smooth and crinkled
cinnamon-tinted blue taffetas were used to create a charming nest
of variegated leaves for the hat's floral centerpiece. Finally,
wispy sprays of sky blue tulle add one more bit of magic.
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The
purpose of this amazing millinery delight is to honor the life of
Ferdinand and to continue the work of raising awareness and
funding for Thoroughbred racehorse aftercare. And just like
Ferdinand, who found that opening to make history at that Derby so
long ago, may this hat be a part of the opening and moving of our
own hearts to ensure quality aftercare for all of the horses who
race beneath the blue skies of Louisville and every racetrack
around the world.
To
read more about Ferdinand, the horse, please click on the
following link - Ferdinand.
To
learn more about Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm, please visit the
Old
Friends website
or
call them at 502-863-1775.
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"Sunshine
Forever" Hat
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"Hats
Off to the Horses: The Road to the Derby" - MAGGIE
MAE DESIGNS®
and
Old Friends recently teamed up for an unparalleled online
shopping experience. This unique Derby hat fundraiser featured
one-of-a-kind couture Derby hats created by MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
to
benefit Old Friends. CONGRATULATIONS
to
Brenda and Randy Rosen of Lexington Kentucky, winners of the
sixth and final auction hat, created for Old Friend retiree,
Sunshine Forever! To
learn more about this amazing Derby hat auction, please click
on the "Sunshine Forever" hat!
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Old
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Ferdinand
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MAGGIE
MAE DESIGNS®
PO
Box 929 / South Harwich, MA 02661
508-430-1626
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MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS® .
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MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
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2010, MAGGIE MAE DESIGNS®
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