And how would you surpass your last achievement in every project or collaboration that you work on?

I always try and do something new and fresh, there is always something new inspiring me, so it’ll always be different.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I was always influenced by beauty. At home in Ireland we were taught about the beauty of nature. We had lots of chickens, pheasants and geese so the prime ingredient of the hats I make are feathers because I know them very well. I now appreciate the profound effect my childhood had on me.

Head accessories are something that we can do with or without. What do you think the relation between daily gear and designer gear?

Hats are very sexy. When I started at the Royal College of Art, they thought hats were for old ladies and I thought that was completely insane. Why would you think that? I love the idea of the unknown and the future; you don’t know what is going to happen next week, and that’s a fashion attitude. It’s all very well accusing someone of being a ‘fashion animal’ – I’m one too! Fashion animals are obsessed with something for a moment, and then they move on to something else. That’s the nature of fashion – it’s all about change.

Have you ever had any fear that your creativity will become dry one day? If the day really comes, what would you do?

I look at our clients and at their personality. I’m thinking of them. My aim is to make that person feel a million dollars. This is the whole point of why people wear clothes, to look their best. As long as I have people to make hats for I will always want to make beautiful things for them.

My assistant who looks after my shop tells me she sells a dream. She sells people things they do not really need, but they have to have. We all need beautiful things that make us feel good and give us pleasure. Whether it’s a flower, a sunrise, or a hat! These things are the spice of life and remind us of the essence of pleasure and beauty. I have had the greatest pleasure of having the opportunity to challenge people’s perception of what a hat should look like in the 21st century.

What do you do when you are not working?

There is no such thing as play time when you work in fashion, because it is all encompassing.

What is your message to those who are interested in or going into this industry?

You may want to escape where you grew up, but you never do because it is in your heart. I always talk about where I come from like its Rome. And for all the fashion shows I’ve seen in my time in London, Paris, Milan and New York, none of them evoke in me the powerful way those little weddings in Ahascragh (where I was born) did.

Fashion is known for its humanity. It’s about everything but that; fashion people are very unusual, they are obsessed with perfection and life isn’t like that. I think that is what my Irishness does for me; it gives me humanity.

And lastly, please leave a message to the readers.

A hat can completely change the personality of the wearer, make them stand differently and walk differently. A hat can make that person feel interesting. People think sometimes that people who wear hats want to show off. But human beings, since the beginning of time, have always wanted to embellish themselves. So hats have been around since the year dot. It’s a human thing to want to dress every part.