Thanksgiving!

by William
It's a chilly day outside and our cozy Atelier is bustling with activity. Autumn is here and winter is just around the corner. It's time to prepare for the cool weather ahead.
At Gwendolyne Hats you'll find a bounty of warmth and colour to brighten your day.


As we stop to admire all the beauty in our shop Gwendolyne and I are giddy with excitement and pride. Our repertoire has grown this year and we’re delighted with the results. Evolution is invigorating. It’s brought a fresh perspective to our worktable. This Fall harvest is sweet and our amazing new creations are ripe for the picking.

We've seen success in our new products and good things are on the way. Our antique Button Love bracelets are a big hit. Men and women love our latest Abbey Road peaked caps. And this season we even have some wonderful merino wool fingerless gloves in the store.

But the best news of all? Our little Zoë bag created in the Spring has given birth to a whole new line of Gwendolyne Bags! Congratulations are definitely in order.

There's a fabulous selection of these items and more in our shop right now. Remember, it's the accessories that make your outfit. Our work has lasting beauty. It looks great together too!

Our new bags are absolutely gorgeous. It's been an amazing journey and we're thrilled with the results. There are four different designs and each individual bag has a character that's all it's own. Gwendolyne has really outdone herself. They're just so desirable.














The new designs are created in limited editions and each bag is unique. You could be the only one in the world. Everybody we've shown is talking about them. Here are a few of my favourites.

Our fiber art is expertly handcrafted from the finest natural materials. Like paintings each one is a distinct composition of texture, pattern, colour and detailing.


We want people to have value in their life. That’s why we design and create tangible things you can appreciate everyday. We invest our work with meaning and a spirit that speaks. It's special because we take the time to make it that way. It takes over 200 steps to make one of Gwendolynes' bags. Here are some photos to illustrate her journey click here.








Our Talisman started as a romantic flourish for the bags. A final signature detail to celebrate it's beauty or an opportunity to personalize your own. After making one Gwendolyne realized it's true power. Sometimes your work just tells you what it wants to be. Now we see the Talisman as a little bit of magic like a rabbits foot or lucky charm. They come in many sizes and can be hooked onto anything; zippers, key chains, knapsacks, bags, anything that's waiting to be embellished. They make great gifts for friends and family. For a closer look double click on the photo below.


Last weekend we were privileged to be part of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche Festival at our building 401 Richmond. The city was alive with enthusiastic seekers of Art and Culture. Our Atelier was open all night long and we had lots of fun. The excitement and support of our visitors was invigorating. It was wonderful to meet so many smiling faces. Art can feed your soul.


We feel blessed. Thank you.

Our Fertile Oasis!

by William

What a magnificent Spring we’ve had this year, so fresh and green. All we need now is the warmth of the sun. Then we can look forward to a big burst of colour to top it all off. It's the perfect opportunity to step out and enjoy life. Our studio has been filled with laughter and enthusiasm this month. Gwendolyne has begun teaching a fiber art workshop on Sundays called
the Four Elements. If you are interested in joining us please click here.

Water is the first element in this series and the weather has been very co-operative, with lots of rain for inspiration.

You may have seen Gwendolyne Hats on CityTV recently, JoJo Chinto stopped by our shop. He was doing a story about the award winning building our business calls home; 401 Richmond St. West. While JoJo tried on some hats, Gwendolyne talked about how this vibrant creative community has helped us and other people grow.

There’s always something exciting happening here at 401 Richmond and Our Atelier is no exception . If you love Culture, Design and the Arts you must drop by for a visit. It will uplift your spirits and enrich your life.

Sometimes you discover a special spot in the world that's so amazing you put down roots and blossom. That's what our atelier means to us. We're on the top floor. Our windows look out over the courtyard and onto the roof garden. It's a lush oasis of climbing vines and new growth out there these days. How inspiring!










It’s a quiet day today as we recover from Doors Open Toronto. We’re a popular destination on this city wide tour and this weekend was a lot of fun. Our Shop was bustling with activity as many new people took advantage of the opportunity to play dress up with our latest designs. As you can see we're more than just a hat shop. It was very rewarding to see the positive response.

There's a guest book in our Shop for comments. But, this weekend Gwendolyne got a big smile when the Lady Julia said,

"I am so happy to find this place. This is what the world needs these days, things made with care, wonderful materials and so much beauty. Your work speaks of individuality, I am so excited.
I want you to be successful as I love what you are making. You are making things that I can relate to, that have spirit and meaning". Then Julia bought something for herself to celebrate that idea!

It's great when people totally understand where you are coming from and cast their vote for the positive things in life. That's certainly what Gwendolyne and I believe in. If we noticed one common thread this weekend... More people are feeling this way too.