August 4, 2009 – Acclaimed Hat Designer, Tracy Watts, is bursting onto the fashion scene with her eclectic, yet classic hats.  Watts trained as an artist and painter at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto and at the college’s New York City campus. After working in the art world, as a mould maker and caster, Tracy looked for another way of translating her ideas into a three-dimensional form. Having always loved wearing and collecting hats, Tracy discovered the millinery program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. There she trained with Janine Galimard, who worked as a milliner for Balenciaga during the 50’s and 60’s in Paris. Ms. Galimard equipped Tracy with the skills that have given her the ability to translate her vision into a tangible design. Tracy learned the art of millinery in her time at F.I.T., discovering custom and couture techniques that she continues to incorporate into her collections.

Her hats are quirky and fun, yet classic.  Watts works with many fabrics ranging from straw to grosgrain, and the softest yarns are utilized in the innovative collections designed twice a year.  Pastels, brights, and neutrals create the color palette that can be worn with ease and leave the wearer feeling light of heart.  All different motifs from nature are used including petals, snakes, salmon, ants, spiders, birds, and daisies, making each piece a celebration of the outdoors.  For the super feminine, there are bows and flowers, but the hats are not created for women alone. Watts also has a men’s collection which is progressively gaining popularity.

Tracy Watts’ designs have been featured in a number of prestigious publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Lucky, Marie Claire, INSTYLE, and Elle.  tracywatts hats have been showcased in Madonna’s Take a Bow music video and have been worn by such celebrities as Heidi Klum and Mary J. Blige.  The tracywatts collections are sold to the best stores in the world, including Barneys New York, Holt Renfrew Canada, Isetan, and Deuxieme Classe Tokyo.

Starting out as an entrepreneur within her art studio, Tracy quickly gained a reputation for her fine millinery work and fashion-forward designs. She now runs a successful operation at her Chelsea studio, establishing both herself and tracywatts, Inc. within the world of fashion.

# # #