LOVE & HATS
MAISON MICHEL By Nina Boutléroff
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRED BERGUE
There was a time when one would never leave the house without a hat. Today, it remains the ultimate marker of a strong silhouette. A theory confirmed by Priscilla Royer, Artistic Director of Maison Michel, the Parisian milliner and atelier celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.
For over a decade, Priscilla Royer has been intent on putting hats back on our heads. Appointed Artistic Director of Maison Michel in 2015, the Studio Berçot graduate has become the conductor of a highly specialized ensemble of métiers d’art: block makers, milliners, and hatmakers—the holy trinity of craftsmen who bring exceptional headpieces to life. At Maison Michel, Royer orchestrates a delicate balance between savoir-faire and modernity, conceiving hats as natural extensions of personality and style. We met with a designer who trusts both her eye and her instincts, composing each collection as a gallery of archetypes, each one as compelling as the next one.
DUEL: Ten years ago, you took up your position at Maison Michel. What were those early days like?
PRISCILLA ROYER: They were rather innocent and spontaneous, very much in line with stepping into any new role. You begin with an inventory: meeting the craftsmen, understanding what has always existed, what is already in place. Gradually, you introduce your vision for the house. You install it, refine it, structure it. When you want to build something properly, it takes time. There was nothing to overturn, only a story to continue. The process was extremely organic.
DUEL: The Maison Michel atelier celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. How has the house evolved since its founding in 1936?
P. R.: The house has moved through three thirty year cycles. Founded in 1936, it initially worked for private clients. At the time, one would have a hat made just as one would visit the hairdresser’s, no one stepped outside bareheaded. The following thirty years marked a transformation: from a general milliner to a partner and manufacturer for fashion and luxury houses. The next three decades saw the development of a new core activity, its own brand, launched in 2006. Today, the house is structured around three pillars: bespoke, the maison d’art, and the brand itself, allowing it to express the full spectrum of its craftsmanship.
DUEL: The Spring-Summer 2026 collection feels decidedly feminine, with red as the leading color, florals, roses, crochet, and a marine influence. How do you generally approach a collection?
DUEL: The Spring-Summer 2026 collection feels decidedly feminine, with red as the leading color, florals, roses, crochet, and a marine influence. How do you generally approach a collection?
P. R.: For me, the process is deeply instinctive almost animal. It begins with an observation, a desire that settles quite literally in the pit of my stomach. From there, stories emerge, born of instinct, which are then constructed in an extremely concrete way. Everything inspires me, but to crystallize an idea, I often start with strong archetypes. The connections unfold like a game of families: the hat for one character, the headband for another, and so on. This summer, for instance, the narrative revolved around the child-woman and her metamorphosis in expressing femininity. We move from naïve, delicate lingerie-inspired motifs to the molting of a seductive woman, embodied in a more intense red.
DUEL: You often say that appearance is essential. Do accessories—particularly hats—shape that elusive quality?
P. R.: For me, the process is deeply instinctive almost animal. It begins with an observation, a desire that settles quite literally in the pit of my stomach. From there, stories emerge, born of instinct, which are then constructed in an extremely concrete way. Everything inspires me, but to crystallize an idea, I often start with strong archetypes. The connections unfold like a game of families: the hat for one character, the headband for another, and so on. This summer, for instance, the narrative revolved around the child-woman and her metamorphosis in expressing femininity. We move from naïve, delicate lingerie-inspired motifs to the molting of a seductive woman, embodied in a more intense red.
DUEL: And personally, how do you wear hats?
P. R.: I have a flaw, I try on hats every single day. I see roughly 150 daily, depending on what leaves the atelier. My approach is quite chameleonic. I imagine the message I might want to convey when wearing each one. We conduct countless tests, and for that I treat my silhouette as a blank canvas : a fedora to tell one story, a cap when I want to feel more low-key. There are a thousand possibilities, and I have no restrictions regarding style. It’s always a balance between aesthetics and function, the occasion, the time of day, the weather, the need. That state of balance defines how I wear a hat.
DUEL: Your affinity for craftsmanship dates back to childhood. How did your passion for couture evolve, particularly within a house like Maison Michel?
P. R.: It began like it does for many children tinkering. But I believe there’s a specific inclination involved. Choosing to draw is one thing ; wanting to touch, knit, crochet, and explore techniques is another. I experimented widely, and that variety now allows me to navigate obstacles in the atelier with agility. Milliners have a vocabulary centered entirely on the hat. I happen to have a broader lexicon knitwear, braiding, beading, and more. So I’ve opened new doors in elevating and embellishing hats, pushing the accessory elsewhere. Because the hat can appear old-fashioned, it must constantly be reframed within a contemporary context. That means building bridges between techniques and
materials.
DUEL: Our magazine is called Duel, a word rich with meaning. How does duality manifest itself in your creative process?
P. R.: I’m drawn to double meanings and layered language. I speak more of constant counterpoint, taking a silhouette in the opposite direction, proposing something where it isn’t expected. It’s about creating new characters, far removed from traditional archetypes.
DUEL: Duality also implies blending genres. What are your influences?
P. R.: My eye catches everything – from a chewed pen cap to a great film. I may suddenly notice something I wouldn’t have seen six months earlier. Preserving that creative freedom is essential, how my mind
absorbs and reinterprets what it sees.
LOVE & HATS – MAISON MICHEL
DUEL MAGAZINE N°7
INTERVIEW BY Nina Boutléroff
Photographer & set designER • fred bergue
creative direction • MINSK STUDIO
