Helen Kaminski QVB Flagship Store, Sydney, NSW

Helen Kaminski was founded on the principles of natural beauty, craftsmanship, distinctive style and individuality. In 1983, brand founder Helen Marie Kaminski handcrafted a raffia hat to protect her children from the searing Australian sun.

A heritage founded on craftsmanship and sustainability. A future focused on authenticity, design and innovation.

We’ve come a long way since 1983 – and while the styles may have changed, our ethos hasn’t. Helen Kaminski was founded on the principles of natural beauty, craftsmanship, distinctive style and individuality.

In 1983, brand founder Helen Marie Kaminski handcrafted a raffia hat to protect her children from the searing Australian sun. Soon, her distinctive design was being coveted by small country boutiques where it was exposed to the style set. Barely a year after creating her first hat by hand, an editor from Vogue featured the ‘Classic 5’, in an editorial spread. An influx of interest followed from retailers, consumers, stylists and celebrities.

“I left one of a few family hats at a shop in Manuka in Canberra. It sold before I got back to the farm in Gundaroo where we lived. The shop owner told me she could have sold five in an afternoon. And so it began. That year Judy Davis bought a few and Vogue used them in two or three pages.” Helen Marie Kaminski, Founding Designer

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