Meet Rachelle Marie Willnus | Headwear Designer and Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rachelle Marie Willnus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachelle Marie, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I’ve been creating hats and fascinators for almost 15 years. It’s obviously something I love; however setting boundaries and creating balance with my family life has been a struggle for me; especially January through August. These months find me sewing, on average, 14 hours a day. I often do that without breaks. I’m a Type A chronic overachiever. If I’m designing and creating, I’m doing it 150%. The last few years I experienced some burnout. I was simply working too much and not taking care of myself. At one point I nearly quit my career because I was so overwhelmed. I had to do some soul searching to assess what I truly wanted. I loved my craft, but I was running myself into the ground. That’s when I started journaling and meditating about my life and how I could manage a balance between rest and creating. I don’t use the word work here because hat making never feels like work to me; it’s who I am. That being said, I still needed to find a balance. I take more time now throughout the year to sketch, order materials, and design so that I’m not overloaded at the start of my season. I get my events lined up early and I set limits on custom orders. I have more stock available to clients who are not asking for custom, but want something for an upcoming event. I get lots of requests for events and collaborations and I schedule those events early; ensuring enough time between events so that I’m not sewing 20 hours a day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I call myself the accidental artist. I didn’t choose this career; it chose me. It’s something I started later in life. I started creating hats at age 38. I was married with two daughters and thought I’d settle quietly into motherhood; helping my family achieve their dreams. I was not expecting that my volunteer work with youth theater would turn into a love of costuming; which turned into a love of fashion; which turned into hat making. I mean; I have a technical background. Maybe because I’m a curious Gemini and I love to explore all sorts of interests; but hat making was a fit and it allowed my creative mind to soar. When we’re curious, we explore. We don’t know what we can do until we step outside of our comfort zone. Sometimes our greatest passions come from places we least expect. Was it easy…Yes and no. I had natural talent, that much I knew. However I didn’t look the part of a stereotypical sexy cool designer. I was a mom. I wore mom clothes, but my brain was like a Tim Burton movie. I think perhaps it was difficult for me to establish myself as an artist so I needed to work on an image to match my craft. I think now I’ve succeeded in that. It took me a few years to figure it out though.
Lessons learned…There are always lessons to learn every year. Establishing fair and competitive pricing while still honoring the couture of my craft took a few years to figure out. Pricing, budgeting, and marketing are always areas to grow and improve on. As a business owner, I look at these three things every year with fresh eyes and greater knowledge than the previous year.
I assess the products and colors that sold best, the size fascinators people bought most, the types of events they attended, and what events they can expect to attend the following year. Taking notes and paying attention to clients and their feedback has kept me successful. I am grateful for the wonderful relationship I have established with my clients over the years.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Michigan is the best state. There’s so much to see and do here and every city offers something magical. The city that inspires me the most is Grand Haven. The colors in Fall are breathtaking. Lake Michigan is the most beautiful lake in the world. The colors of the water have inspired several collections from me over the years. I love the local shops. Many are independent business owners like myself so I like to support those businesses. Fresh fish in the summer, local area pizzerias, and custard for dessert. Walks along the pier. Concerts in the park. Lots of great hiking and picnic lunches on the beach while listening to the waves roll in. Wonderful nature.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I do have a few shout-outs in mind. My family. It truly does take a village to be successful. I would not have my achievements today without my parents who gave me money to start my business and bought me my first sewing machine and sewing tables. My husband who dedicated a full sewing room to me in our home and bought me my first industrial sewing machine. He goes to events with me; loading and unloading ALL of my hats and materials; which is no easy task. My daughters who were my first hat models and who inspire me with their beauty, talent, and kindness.

Website: Derbyhatsbyrachelle.com

Instagram: @Derbyhatsbyrachelle

Facebook: Derby Hats by Rachelle

Other: [email protected]

Image Credits
Janna Coumoundouros Jennifer Alder Fadil Berisha