Q&A: The Milliner to the Triple Crown

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Hats are a racing staple for both men and women. (Photos courtesy Alicia Hansen unless otherwise noted)
With the Kentucky Derby less than three weeks away, we caught up with fabulous milliner Christine A. Moore for a Q&A about horse racing and, of course, headwear for big racing events. Enjoy!
At what age did you design and make your first hat? I was 21 and was working at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia and watched a milliner make a hat and loved the creative process. Soon after that, I made my first hat, which was a cut and sew piece, basically an unstructured street piece.
Who is your artistic inspiration? I draw a lot of my inspiration from the nature around me. I have always loved the fashion designer Oscar de le Renta. His designs have always been exquisite, and I have always loved his elegant look and all the trends he has set!
MOORE DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM NATURE

What celebrities have you designed hats for? I have done pieces for magazines for Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Al Roker and Stephanie and Ron Rivera; proud to say the Riverboat Ron hat was mine! I have done some for Oprah Winfrey but have yet to see her wearing one on the cover of “O Magazine!"
What celebrity would you one day love to design a hat for? I would love to do one for Lady Gaga. I love her outrageous style and as a woman I respect what she has accomplished. I think it would be a fun collaboration!
Let’s start a fashion trend together: How cool would it be to see hats and fascinators worn by the actors and actresses on the red carpet at the Academy Awards?  I admit it would be great if more hats were represented on that red carpet. One thing I learned from my theater days is that actors usually do not want their faces covered in any way. Having said that, every guy should wear a fedora like they used to, and every woman could wear a fascinator. More designers should collaborate with other designers – it only strengthens the fashion industry.
Do you have a favorite hat of your own? I do wear a hat every day on the subway but I wear one from my street wear collection. This year for the Derby my favorite style is one called “Queenie.”
What’s your favorite color? I love brown and green and chartreuse, kind of like a nature thing - they all go so well together!
What racetrack has the best fashion scene? Each track has their own look and feel – Santa Anita is really a stylish classic retro look, Keeneland and Saratoga and even Monmouth have a more tailored, elegant and fun, preppy look. Pimlico for Preakness is a fun-hip Gatsby look. Gulfstream has an edgy colorful New York thing going on. Arlington has a retro feel. Del Mar has this old Hollywood feel/sunny beach thing happening. Belmont, my home track, has a black and white, sleek-city feel. Churchill Downs for the Derby has some of all of these as well as the “big or go home” attitude which is my personal motto for sure!
MOORE AT SANTA ANITA PARK

Photo courtesy Christine A. Moore
Do you bet? Yes, but I am the worst handicapper there is despite learning it all from some of the cast members of “Horseplayers” and my ABR friends.
What’s your biggest gambling win? A whopping $68 on California Chrome!
For the past three years, you’ve designed the Oaks hat for Kentucky’s First Lady Jane K. Beshear. We hear that you will be designing, in addition to her Oaks hat, her 2015 Derby hat. That’s quite an honor. How did that come about? It is an honor, and Jane is a wonderful woman. This connection came about through one of the stores I sell to in Louisville, Rodes for Her. I do a lot of special designs especially for Derby, collaborating with women and men on their outfits. Three years ago, I got an email regarding her request for an Oaks hat and each year I receive a photo of the dress and I do a sketch and then make the hat. I did two Oaks hats this way, and this year I get to do both the Oaks and Derby hat. She always looks elegant and lovely each year! I have also done the Preakness hat for the past three years for Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
MOORE WITH RAWLINGS-BLAKE

Photo courtesy Christine A. Moore
You’re known as the milliner to the Triple Crown and the official milliner of the Breeders’ Cup. Is there a particular moniker you are most proud of? I am just grateful to be involved in horse racing in general. I have met so many nice people through the years and formed many close friendships. All the titles are nice and we always work hard for our customers. I will however say, being the official milliner for the Breeders’ Cup is not too shabby!
What are three tips for helping someone choose the right hat for the right outfit? First, choose the right dress and hat for the event. Choose a hat that fits your personality, and choose a hat this is comfortable to wear.
What’s your favorite race track food? Gotta say, hands down Hattie's fried chicken at Saratoga!
Who is your Derby horse this year? Firing Line, because he is such a great horse, and we really love his jockey Gary Stevens. After his impressive Sunland Derby win, I think he will be hard to beat! I also love that the owners are in the fashion world.
MOORE AND MODELS AT A PHOTO SHOOT

Do you have a race day superstition? Not really, I seem to always be working an event on race days, except on Derby day.
Do hats bring luck? Yes, just ask Team Rotondo! Actually, I think what a hat does is give you confidence, and that can take you a long way!
What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year? “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” I tend to like the quirky ones.
What are you reading now? “John Adams” by David McCullough - what can I say - I love American history.
What three (3) things are you most grateful for? My family, my husband, Blake, and that I get to wake up every morning and do something I love to do – make hats!