Central Ky. hat designers grateful for return of the Derby

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – With fans back at the Kentucky Derby, so are the hats.

Central Kentucky hat designers say it’s a sigh of relief.

“It’s like you’re baking cakes and you’re baking this beautiful cake for people, but nobody’s hungry nobody and wants to eat it,” Polly Singer said.

Singer, owner of Polly Singer Couture Hats, has been designing and hand making hats for more than 25 years.

And like so many other industries, she’s never seen a year like 2020.

“It was horrible, last year was horrible and depressing,” she said.

Now with the big race a week away, she says her feelings of restored hope have blended into her most recent designs.

“I think we’ve all been so starved for color and joy and been trapped in a way,” Singer said. “So, I’ve got some hats with butterflies on them to make it light and happy.”

Meanwhile in Lexington, hat designer and owner of Fancy Derby Hats Stephanie Bell says helping create a festive experience is how she got into the hat making world in the first place.

“If you get a chance to wear a hat you should wear a hat and the more fabulous the better,” Bell said.

While this year means a boost for business, as a native Kentuckian and fan of the Derby, Bell says there’s a spirit of the Derby that she missed just as much.

“We may have taken the Derby for granted, and a lot of other things for granted last year, and so I really think it’s going to be a festive time here in Kentucky,” Bell said. “And I’m just so glad it’s back.”

And whether you like your hat with sparkles or feathers, both designers agree, it’s all about how it makes you feel.

“I could sit and make hats all day long, but it’s the working with people and seeing their face light up,” Singer said.

It’s Derby season! As ABC 36’s @MonicaHarkinstv reports, Kentucky hat designers are grateful to be back in business. pic.twitter.com/XyJjQwSZFq

— ABC 36 News (@ABC36News) April 23, 2021