About Leonora Ferguson
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Leonora is an award-winning milliner and print designer from Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She creates unique handmade hats and headpieces. Her techniques include traditional hat blocking, lace making with wire, beading and more.
She graduated from the National College of Art and Design, Dublin in 2005, specialising in Embroidered Textiles. She went on to work in costume for productions such as HBO's Game of Thrones and Universal's Dracula Untold. Leonora founded her fashion accessories label in 2011 in Northern Ireland and has since relocated to the Chocolate Factory Creative Community in Dublin 1. Her clients include Merlin Entertainments, taking on regular commissions of headwear and props for Madame Tussauds waxworks. Her collections are shown annually at Hatwalk, Derry, in aid of Brain Tumour Research. Awards Winner of the Lacemakers of Ireland Award at the RDS National Craft Awards 2016. Winner of the Eleanor de la Branchardière Award for Innovation in Lace Design at the RDS National Craft Awards, 2015. Awarded the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Creative Industries Innovation Fund (CIIF 2) 2012. |
Leonora accepting the Eleanor de la Branchardière Award at the RDS National Craft Awards 2015
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Special Commissions
Leonora was invited to create a mask based on an endangered animal for The Animal Ball 2013, a royally attended event organised by conservation charity Elephant Family. The event was held in Clarence House, London, and was a huge success. Leonora’s creations were chosen from over 100 headpieces and masks to be worn by model Cara Delevingne, and Ruth and Mary Powys from Elephant Family. Other designers creating pieces for the ball included Diane von Furstenberg, Manolo Blahnik and Matthew Williamson. Leonora's work featured heavily in the press, including in Vanity Fair's centenary edition.
Leonora was invited to create a mask based on an endangered animal for The Animal Ball 2013, a royally attended event organised by conservation charity Elephant Family. The event was held in Clarence House, London, and was a huge success. Leonora’s creations were chosen from over 100 headpieces and masks to be worn by model Cara Delevingne, and Ruth and Mary Powys from Elephant Family. Other designers creating pieces for the ball included Diane von Furstenberg, Manolo Blahnik and Matthew Williamson. Leonora's work featured heavily in the press, including in Vanity Fair's centenary edition.
Mary and Ruth Powys from Elephant Family
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Cara Delevingne wearing Leonora at The Animal Ball
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After the success in 2013, Leonora was invited to create a range of 24 lemur-themed pieces for high profile guests at the 2016 Animal Ball. The ball was hosted by HRH Prince Charles, and Leonora was one of only 40 invited fashion houses alongside names such as Burberry, Chloe, Jimmy Choo and Philip Treacy.
The 2016 Animal Ball was the biggest conservation event in Europe, raising over £1.7m for animal conservation charities.
Leonora's feature headpiece entitled Heads and Tails was based on the ring-tailed lemur. It was shown in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the world's leading art and design museum, at the Conservation Couture exhibition in the run up to the Animal Ball 2016.
The pieces were displayed in the personal shopping department of Selfridges flagship department store on Oxford St, London.
Heads and Tails was chosen to feature on the cover image of the V&A Museum exhibition page.
The 2016 Animal Ball was the biggest conservation event in Europe, raising over £1.7m for animal conservation charities.
Leonora's feature headpiece entitled Heads and Tails was based on the ring-tailed lemur. It was shown in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the world's leading art and design museum, at the Conservation Couture exhibition in the run up to the Animal Ball 2016.
The pieces were displayed in the personal shopping department of Selfridges flagship department store on Oxford St, London.
Heads and Tails was chosen to feature on the cover image of the V&A Museum exhibition page.
Heads and Tails, as featured in the Conservation Couture exhibition in the V&A Museum
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Leonora's work featuring on the V&A homepage.
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