If Anna Karenina and Paloma Faith need to go hat shopping then South Queensferry is where they should head. Joyce Paton opened Paton, the unexpectedly exotic store in the historic Scottish town at the end of March 2014. Fur pill box hats with beautiful plumed feathers, which were created for catwalk shows and photoshoots, are on display alongside less extravagant pieces. For weddings and events Joyce can create low key versions of the catwalk hats although Joyce is continually surprised by how daring her clients can be.
When it comes to accolades Joyce is low key – neglecting to mention her three nominations at the Scottish Fashion Awards and the Scottish Accessories Designer of the Year win.
There’s been some interesting collaborations with other milliners along the way – Jane Smith, a London hat maker who works on television and film projects such as The Duchess and Ian Bennett who made hats for the Queen’s Jubilee. Stylists from The Herald and The Scotsman regularly use her products in photoshoots.
Her own photoshoots are held twice a year and she says she’s lucky to have great models. Tara Nowy, Fish’s daughter is a regular and Joyce managed to catch Amanda Hendricks, a Glasgow model who now lives in New York, before her career went global. Hair is by Gary Lees, a hairdresser who works on London and Paris Fashion Week and has a salon in Wishaw, Karen Bowen does the make up with Ian Tod styling the shots.
Paton, which is open 11am-5pm, also stocks clothes and jewellery – her previous premises in the ‘ferry’ were open by appointment only. It looks like the longer opening hours will suit the very sociable designer – by her own admission she was always too loud for the library where she used to work. Just don’t expect her to mention the Awards – this modest milliner won’t be caught talking through her hat.
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