This Designer’s Hats Are Surrealist Paintings Come To Life

Designer Heidi Lee's hats are not just your average accessory—each one tells a story. The avant-garde milliner gave us a behind-the-scenes look at her workspace, showing us some of her most extraordinary designs, from her "Endless Echo" hat, featuring more than 8,000 Swarovski crystals, to her "Atomic Universe" hat, complete with rotating LED lights.

While visiting her studio, Lee revealed how she began her career and why Salvador Dalí and living in NYC continue to inspire her. "My uncle was a milliner for over 50 years. I... got into it under his tutelage," she says. "We started making pieces inspired by music, classical music. I would see hats all over his studio, and they would be pretty traditional, like church-going hats you'd see down South... but I have my own aesthetic going on, and [my hats are] very innovative and forward, and stick out from the others."

Get caught up with the artist, above. 

Credits:

Director & Shooter - Daniel Huskey

Sound - Drew Joy

Editor - Maddy Talias

Music: Charmed Encounter 1 by Gavin Luke and Gossip Talk 3 by Gavin Luke - via Epidemic Sound