ABOUT Catherine Storm
Catherine Storm is a Melbourne milliner specialising in elegant finishing touches designed to complement an outfit and give the wearer confidence in millinery.
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Many of Catherine’s clients arrive with a dress and an occasion in mind. Her role is to create the piece that quietly completes the look - a beautifully balanced headpiece that feels natural to wear and brings the whole ensemble together.
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Her designs are known for their refined proportions, comfort and versatility, allowing many pieces to be worn with multiple outfits over time.
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The Catherine Storm Approach
Many clients come to Catherine with a dress and an occasion but feel unsure about what kind of millinery will work best.
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Her approach begins with understanding the outfit, the event and the individual wearer.
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Some pieces introduce a subtle accent of colour or structure. Others provide a more sculptural finishing touch. In every case, the goal is balance - creating millinery that feels natural to wear and complements the overall look.
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The right piece should never feel overwhelming.
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It should simply feel like the finishing touch that brings everything together.
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From Amsterdam to Melbourne (via Edinburgh)
Catherine began making hats and headpieces while living in Europe.
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Her work has been worn around the world and featured in fashion presentations in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, China and Australia.
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Before establishing her millinery label, Catherine worked in a corporate role with Heineken in Amsterdam. During this time she began exploring millinery, building on her strong background in dressmaking.
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“I could always make my own special occasion wear, but I relied on someone else to create the hats. Learning millinery gave me the freedom to design complete outfits that matched my vision. Sometimes the hat inspires the dress - and sometimes the dress inspires the hat.”
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After relocating from Amsterdam to Edinburgh in 2013, Catherine established her own label and began creating bespoke millinery for racewear and special occasions.
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Today, working from her hometown of Melbourne, she continues to design pieces influenced by both European elegance and Australian racing culture.
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Professional Recognition
Catherine is a Fellow Member of Millinery Australia and served as Vice President of the 2022 committee.
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She is also a member of the Dutch Hat Association (Nederlandse Hoedenvereniging NHV).
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Selected recognition includes:
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Top 10 – 2024 & 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery Award
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Top 10 – 2021, 2023, 2024 & 2025 Millinery Australia Design Award
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3rd Place – 2023 Millinery Australia Design Award
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1st Prize – Formal Headwear, 2019 Royal Melbourne Show
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Best Exhibit Millinery – 2018 Royal Melbourne Show
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If you have an outfit and an occasion approaching, Catherine would be delighted to help you find the perfect finishing touch.