Madame Sheeta - Wartime Milliner ||

Learn about successful British milliner, Ada Phillips Riddle, who practiced her craft under the name of “Madame Sheeta” throughout the London Blitz and the remainder of the 20th century.
Links:
Learn more about how I became the conservator of Madame Sheeta's millinery business archives in this video, a talk I gave as part of FrockCon 2020: • Madame Sheeta’s Espart...
Thanks to Shannon Makes for advice on finding WW2 public domain images: / shannonmakes
Follow me on Instagram! / bricko.loose
Find me on Facebook: / labricoleuse
Master playlist for CoSy 2022 (will contain all videos from all days):
• 2022 CosTube Symposium...
CoSy Thursday programming playlist (in which this video is included):
• 2022 Thursday CosTube ...
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:51 Ada Phillips life begins
1:40 Ada learns millinery
3:17 Ada begins to teach millinery
4:44 Ada has her first theatrical millinery success
5:32 What's happening in the world?
6:37 WW2 begins
7:52 Millinery in wartime
10:10 Life after the war
My deepest gratitude to Jan Frost and Keith Riddle, for their generosity in sharing their recollections of Sheeta with me. The photographs in this video are from Sheeta’s personal archives (in my possession), Unsplash.com, or are in the public domain.
#1940s #fashionhistory #millinery #cosy2022 #labricoleuse #costube

[@historical.isolde7918]

I found you through your old LiveJournal blog, when I was looking for information on how to block with straw products. I spent ages reading posts on there, and was fascinated with Madam Sheeta and her legacy donation to your students. When I realised that your blog had not been abandoned in 2017 but moved I was excited, but not as excited as I was when I saw that you were making videos too.
I am quite sorry I missed your content during Cosy2022 (I was on the 2021 disability panel, and was supposed to be in the 2022 one but had a bad health day and couldn't join in). I found your blog writing to be very engaging (as well as informative), about content I had an interest in. I fully expect to no go through your CZcams backlist and watch a whole lot more!

[@LaBricoleuse]

Fantastic! Glad you have found me here too! And I hope you enjoy the videos!

[@kieraoona]

Its always interesting to hear of working people let alone crafts people during major events such as the world wars and their history. Thank you for sharing!

[@LaBricoleuse]

Yes! I loved learning that someone like her existed. And you’re welcome!

[@SHMillinery]

I loved this, a real history lesson about a fabulous milliner, keep 'em coming 😀😀

[@LaBricoleuse]

I have a few more ideas for this series! Glad it seems to be popular, and thank you for watching!

[@Pour_La_Victoire]

What a fascinating story! Thanks for sharing, looking forward to more costume maker bios!

[@LaBricoleuse]

I’m looking forward to making them! I’m going to do them for several of the artists we profiled in this book: www.routledge.com/A-History-of-the-Theatre-Costume-Business-Creators-of-Character/Morris-Morris/p/book/9781138484290

[@ZipZipInkspot]

Thank you so for detailing Madame Sheeta's career i such a top-notch manner. Loved the financial and social-historical dimensions. What an eye-opener on how the industry worked!

[@LaBricoleuse]

I found it so fascinating.

[@cyndagalikin4042]

I thoroughly enjoyed your excellent video, Rachel. It was informative, interesting, and most entertaining! Really well done!

[@LaBricoleuse]

Thank you so much for the kind words! ❤️

[@TreScotts1Fan]

Amazing and informative as always.

[@LaBricoleuse]

Thank you! 🙏

[@FantasticalFolliesCostuming]

How cool! Thanks for the little history lesson 😎

[@LaBricoleuse]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@alisonhynd8828]

So interesting! Thanks for sharing your research.

[@LaBricoleuse]

You’re welcome! And thank you for watching her story. I feel so fortunate for this serendipity.

[@mjdc2533]

very interesting and would enjoy to learn more. thanks.

[@LaBricoleuse]

Glad you enjoyed it! The whole story of Madame Sheeta and how I came to be the conservator of her professional and personal papers is told in this recording of a conference presentation I gave in 2020: czcams.com/video/7Sn2PqAMGZY/video.html

[@ByIlonaMillinery]

I am the same age as Sheeta in the passport photo - I feel dreadfully underqualified compared to her - I've only been a milliner for 5 years 🤣

[@LaBricoleuse]

People started trades/arts much younger then I think, and women had fewer prospects/options in general. I’m sure she would be impressed by all the other things you do in addition to millinery!