Making Hats With Debra Rapoport

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Live from NYC

We're delighted to welcome back Debra Rapoport, Advanced Style icon and wearable art innovator!

'Dressing up' creatively has been Debra's artistic expression since she was 3 years old, using everyday found materials to create extraordinary pieces. In our recent chat with Debra, she showed us all her opulent wrist cuffs (once toilet paper rolls) and a fabulous hat that she made from paper towels. 

Particularly renowned for her wondrous headgear, she'll be tuning in on Saturday 20th February at 11AM EST, to show you how to make your own VIVA hats. This session will be a fun and powerful introduction to sustainable fashion and wearable art. 

While enjoying the company of the most fabulous New Yorker around, you'll learn to fold paper towels into linear elements, glue them and then coil like a basket into hat forms. You'll come away with a very personal creation, unique to you. Debra doesn't create with a preset vision, her process is intuitive, "a playful exploration for beauty". 

All levels are welcome and there is no prior experience required. There will be plenty of time to share, get feedback and meet other participants from around the world.

If you are not in EST time zone, be sure to convert the time.


What you'll need


How to join

We'll be hosting this VAWAA Online on Zoom. We'll send link and details to join via email 1 day and again 30 mins before it begins.


About Debra

A passionate revolutionary, Debra's approach to fashion is radical and exciting; "I don't come from tradition". Her fashion creations start with found materials, turning trash into high-end fashion. Her great skill is finding life in the everyday objects around her, from which she builds relationships. Renowned since the 1960s for her unique wearable art, she has become an Advanced Style fashion icon, and her designs have been exhibited in museums across the US including Metropolitan Museum of Art, the L.A. County Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She has taught at NYU, University of California at Davis, Museum of Art and Design and Neue Galerie.


Read more: Living through Transition: Debra Rapoport and the healing power of creativity

Watch: New Yorkers are paying more than 400 for fashionable garbage


Reviews

"Debra reminded me that we need to build in time for getting lost in creative exploration." - Eva 

"What a delightful, young and vibrant spirit Debra is! Anyone with a pulse can learn from this woman. Wow. My favourite quote from her: 'With creativity there are no rules and with no rules, there is no fear' " - Jenny

"An amazing experience to be able to join the chat from around the world. Loved hearing about and seeing Debra's stunning work." - Rachel

"Debra Rapoport said many wise words to live by. What a wonderful and inspiring experience to learn from her about where she's been and where she's going." - Carmen

"It was amazing to hear how she uses everyday objects like toilet rolls and paper towels to make amazing hats, necklaces and bracelets. She is a walking piece of art. I'm truly inspired and went away and made a necklace of a tin foil tray and have started to make a hat from a tea cosy. It would be my dream to be mentored by this lady." - Vanessa

"I was blown away with the wisdom Debra shared. Not just art, but life." - Theresa


Sessions are ticketed to support artists, makers and our small team. If you’re experiencing financial hardship, please do reach out. We may have a generous participant who has paid it forward. We would ask that you pay the love forward by sharing online sessions with friends.


Cover Image: Susie Lang @susielang @women.60.plus