A note from Laura

For Australians, a hat is necessary to survival. Under the harshest of suns, the broad brim offers respite and shade. The battered hat, worn from our sapphire coast to the red heart of our endless desert, is symbolic of our way of life – woven into our cultural DNA.

For me, a hat is so much more than a piece of headwear. Hats tell a story. They evoke memories, drum up nostalgia and represent the essence of who we are. At a glance, you can tell a lot about someone by the hat they wear – farmer, free spirit, urban dweller, surfer, fashionista, race goer.

I started creating head pieces at night after long days in the office working in corporate Sydney. It was a way to channel my creative energy – and soon, friends were making orders for special events.

It was a moment in time with my dad that made me realise my hobby was turning into so much more. Dad had been battling cancer for a decade, and every moment was precious with him.

Travelling back home to Scone in New South Wales’ Upper Hunter for Christmas in 2019, we were watching John Wayne movies, analysing the actors’ hats, marvelling at the stories they tell, when I turned to him and said, ‘that’s what I want to do’. 

Just before he passed, Dad gifted me his extraordinary collection of hats – my grandfather’s beaten up felt work hat from the 60s, sweat stained and blanket-stitched with yarn around the crown. The short-brimmed fedora my then actor father wore on set, the day he met my mum. Hats that whisper of full lives lived richly.

I poured everything into experimenting and creating, crafting hats that personified the wearer. From setting up my stall at the Bondi Markets where so many great Australian creatives have started before, to opening my flagship store in Scone, it has been a whirlwind journey of discovery and passion.

PHYLLi is now an online establishment, offering me the chance to get back to my roots as a maker and a travelling craftswoman, working with communities across Australia buzzing to craft their own bespoke piece of wearable art.

Based between the country coastal town of Yamba on northern NSW and Dubbo in the state’s Orana Region, I’m extraordinarily proud of my vision sprung to life – hats to take you through life, from the beach to brunch, from the garden to school pick up. Headwear that is built to last, crafted to be loved, longing to be worn.

This longevity and sustainability is the foundation upon which I have built my business. Looked after accordingly, my hats are generational pieces – murmuring of the adventures collected over a lifetime.

Love, Laura xx