Milliner Albertus Swanepoel Dies at 65

Milliner Albertus Swanepoel has died, according to the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The designer was 65 years old.

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The South African designer known for his whimsical, theatrical hat designs had a storied career dating back to the ’80s in his native country, where he initially studied graphic design at the University of Pretoria before jumping into the fashion industry.

He launched his fashion career with his made-to-measure clothing label Quartus Manna, which he won a Coty Award in South Africa in 1987. He later made the move to New York City in 1989 where he trained in millinery at the Fashion Institute of Technology. He also apprenticed at Lola Hats, where he made headwear for Broadway shows.

Swanepoel went on to become the go-to milliner for many fashion designers and their runway shows. He’s created designs for the likes of Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger, Carolina Herrera, Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Billy Reed and Peter Som, among others.

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He’s also embarked on collaborations with major brands like Gap, Target, J.Crew, Stetson and Club Monaco.

Swanepoel received many recognitions throughout his career for his design achievements. In 2008, he was named a runner up for the CFDA /Vogue Fashion Fund and the following year was nominated for the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design at the CFDA Fashion Awards.

In 2010, he received the accessory designer of the year award at the African Fashion International Fashion Week. He had also received a WSGN Awards accessory designer nomination.

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