Polly Suzannah Singer is an internationally renowned hat designer. She grew up in Georgetown, Kentucky and is a graduate of Hollins University. Polly fell into hat designing quite by accident. One morning while getting ready for work, Polly had to put on a hat because a hairbrush became stuck in her hair. This very bad hair day was the start of her new career.

Polly designed her first hat in 1993 and later studied millinery at the famed Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where she learned to design hats in much the same way as milliners of the 19th century did and received a certificate in millinery design. Polly then interned for fellow designer, Patricia Underwood in 1996. While studying with Underwood, she helped design hats that appeared in several Hollywood feature films including Austin Powers and Speed 2. She has won several national design awards and designs for the horse racing elite.

Polly started her internet-based company, Polly Singer, Couture Hats and Veils in 2003. Her style is a mix of New York elegance and Bluegrass tradition. Working with only the finest materials, Polly produces each piece as an individual work of art. Her Kentucky Derby hats for example are made of fine straw trimmed with imported English feathers.

Polly has won several awards. In 2003, her hat, Matisse, won “Best of Show” at Hats 2003 at the TLD Design Center in Westmont, Illinois. She won the Kentucky Museum of Arts and Craft’s 2003 Early Times Scholarship. And in 2006 she won the “Hats Off to Keeneland Award” for the best ladies hat, with Go For The Green. Polly’s creations have been exhibited throughout the United States at the Museum of Art and Design in Louisville, Kentucky, The Staten Island Museum and the American Craft Museum in New York City.

Polly is often featured in the national press. Her hats have appeared in articles in Forbes, People, Today’s Woman, USA Today, Ebony and The Travel Channel Online, and were recently featured on TVG, The Horse Racing Network, and on ABC’s The View. Polly is also the cofounder of the volunteer organization, The Hat Ladies of Lexington. Some of Polly’s well known clients include Star Jones and Christina Olivares.

In her former life, Polly worked in the music industry. She worked at SONY Music in the Jazz A&R area for 3 years, working on recording projects for Harry Connick, Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Miles Davis and the Spike Lee soundtracks.

Polly also worked at Radio City Music Hall, EMI Records Group and Premier Talent Agency. At Premier, she worked on tours for U2, the Pretenders, Eurythmics, Van Halen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, among other bands.

Other positions Polly has held include Assistant Merchandising Manager at the J. Peterman Company. While there, she worked on the Titanic clothing line, which was a project she loved.