About us
The Hat Magazine is a quarterly journal reporting on news, events and international trade shows in the headwear industry while inviting designers to impart their knowledge, skills and expertise. The magazine has an independent voice and a commitment to the promotion of hats and is an essential read for anyone within the industry or with an interest in hats.
Editor-in-chief of the publication is Elly Stemerdink. Originally trained as a tailor, Elly worked as a wholesale accessories buyer, a photographer and a graphic and web designer before pursuing a career in millinery and establishing her own hat label. After joining the Dutch Hat Association (NHV) in 2011, Elly went on to become webmaster and president of the organisation as well as editor-in-chief of the NHV’s quarterly magazine, Hatlines. In 2017 Elly and her husband, entrepreneur Pieter de Meijer, became owners of The Hat Magazine after being approached by the magazine’s founder Carole Denford to take over the publication.
Where it all started
The Hat Magazine was created in 1999 by Carole and Nigel Denford following 17 years as niche retailers of hats. As the owners of six specialist outlets, including The Hat Shop in London’s Covent Garden, Carole and Nigel promoted a new vision for both men's and women's styles.
At the end of the 1990s, Carole and Nigel moved into publishing. With all their knowledge, experience and interest in promoting and producing hats, Carole and Nigel set up a specialist publication. The Hat Magazine was thus established as a trade journal for the international industry to satisfy the needs of hat buyers, retailers, designers, hatters, milliners and enthusiasts alike.
From the beginning, Carole and Nigel realised that specialised headwear was created independently in various parts of the world and for the next two decades visited and wrote about designers, manufacturers, trade shows and industry events around the globe. After many years of non-stop stewardship and having seen the publication grow and expand, Carole and Nigel decided it was time for a change and passed on the baton of ownership in 2017. On taking on the project, Elly Stemerdink redesigned the look and feel of the magazine and filled the role of editor-in-chief.