Helen Kaminski makes a Paris come back at Premiere Classe

Known for its modern and refined raffia hats, the Australian brand makes a return to the European market with a focus on craft and authenticity.

It all started with one hat. Helen Kaminski had one thing in mind when she designed her first raffia piece in 1983: to protect her children’s heads from the Australian sun, with beautiful hats made of natural, durable fibers. The piece was spotted by Vogue US, and more than forty years later, the brand works with over 5,000 artisans, based in Sri Lanka and Madagascar, with whom it continues to develop pieces rooted in heritage and community support. Mary Barclay, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, tells us all about the brand’s European come back.

Why have you decided to exhibit at Premiere Classe this season?

We’re doing a relaunch in Europe, which hasn’t been a major focus for us in the past several years. We’ve realized that our product offering is very relevant within the market, so Premiere Classe is an opportunity to re-engage! 


As a heritage brand, how do you navigate between commercial needs and creative authenticity? 

It’s a balance. We are recognized for the quality of our raffia and for the variety of our stitches, developed by our master craftsman Gary Bishop, who’s been with the brand for about 25 years. We may indulge in trends when it comes to colors, with a technical focus on very bright hues that are hard to obtain with raffia. We also pay attention for specific shapes that might be back in style, but for the most part it’s about the authenticity of our craft and the way our artisans push it to another level.

Has Premiere Classe been a positive experience so far?

A great one actually! We’ve met with customers that we used to work with years ago, who were happy to see us back. It’s been a real chance to reconnect and find new customers, who overall are very open to discovering new brands. And the traffic flow has been fantastic. 


Why have you chosen Premiere Classe instead of other European trade shows?

Looking at the brand mix, the positioning and the timeline, it seemed like the most relevant place for us to exhibit. It’s a very exciting opportunity to be here during such a key time as Paris Fashion Week, it gives an energy you can’t find elsewhere, and it brings in people who we wouldn’t necessarily have met in another context.

What have you enjoyed the most?

The sense of community. We can see that brands get along really well and that people truly inspire one another. It’s a very unique, energetic place.

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