Fiona Bennett
Born in Brighton and raised in Berlin since the age of six, Fiona Bennett completed her training as a milliner in the German capital.
Since 1988, she has been creating contemporary, poetic one-of-a-kind pieces from exquisite materials such as felt, straw, and silk, crafted with artisanal perfection.
In the 1990s, she taught as a lecturer under Vivienne Westwood at the Berlin University of the Arts. In 2013, she published her autobiography Vom Locken der Federn (“The Curling of Feathers”).
Her works are represented in renowned museums, including the Humboldt Forum in Berlin and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich. Numerous celebrities, film productions, and stage shows have been styled by her, among them the award-winning series Babylon Berlin (Seasons 1–6).
In a world that often seems fleeting and superficial, Bennett’s hats emphasize the individuality of their wearers, allowing them to navigate life with style and confidence.
Through the fusion of masterful craftsmanship and artistic expression, she has established herself as one of the most significant milliners of our time.
Resume
1966 Born in Brighton, UK
1972 Moved to Berlin
1985 – 1988 Millinery apprenticeship
since 1988 Independent hat artist
1992 Opened studio
Berlin Mitte 1999-2009 Hat salon
Große Hamburger Strasse, Berlin Mitte
2012-2025 Hat Palace, Potsdamer Strasse 83, Berlin
2013 Book “Vom Locken der Federn” (The Curling of Feathers), Knesebeck Verlag, biographical document, Fiona Bennett with Eva Sichelschmidt
2025 “The Legacy Project”
Collapsible content
HATS FOR (selection)
2026 Hat creation for the TV series “Alex”, costume: Sophie Canale, Babelsberg
2025 Designer Emanuel Blank, Showroom Paris
2025 Hat creation for the TV series “Babylon Berlin”, Season V, costume: Pierre-Yves Gayraud, directed by Tom Tykwer, Hendrik Handloegten, Achim von Borries
2022 Esther Perbandt, L'Atelier Dream Machine, hats for fashion show, styling: Christiane Arp
2021 "Torstraße 1", TV series, costume: Ute Paffendorf
2021 "Babylon Berlin" Season 1III, costume: Pierre-Yves Gayraud, directors: Tom Tykwer, Hendrik Handloegten, Achim von Borries
2020 Lena Hoschek, hats for Fashion Week fashion show
2014 Traveling exhibition "Handmade in Germany"
2014 "Point Break" film production, costume: Lissy Christl, director: Ericson Core
2014 "Kaviar Gauche", Fashion Week Berlin, fashion show at the Metropol Berlin
2016 "Jim Button" children's film, costume: Ute Paffendorf, director: Dennis Gansel
2016 "Babylon Berlin" TV series, Seasons 1 + 2, costume: Pierre-Yves Gayraud, directors: Tom Tykwer, Hendrik Handloegten, Achim von Borries
2016 Wunderkind Couture – Wolfgang Joop, with Vogue Italia, Corso Como Milan
2015; “Burg Schreckenstein” film production, hats for Sophie Rois, costume: Steffi Bruhn, directed by R. Huettner
2015 Atelier Michalsky, Couture Show, The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
2015; Christina Aguilera, NBA 2015, New York
2012; hats for outfits “Puma by Guido Maria Kretschmer” for Berlin Fashion Week, now Puma Museum
2011; caps for hotel staff, Brandenburger Hof, Berlin
2010; hotel staff, nhow Hotels, Berlin
2006; Christina Aguilera World Tour “back to basic”, hat designs
2006; Guggenheim Berlin, design of a special edition for the exhibition Hilla v. Rebay
2006 Wunderkind Show (Wolfgang Joop) Hats Autumn/Winter 2004
2004 Wunderkind Show (Wolfgang Joop), Hats Autumn/Winter 2004
FASHION SHOW/EXHIBITION (Selection)
2025 Positions, Fashion Positions, Tempelhof Airport
2025 Berlin Salon, group exhibition of the FCG, Berlin Gemäldegalerie
2023/24 Korean hat interpretations for the exhibition “Ari Arirang – Korea Fascination for a Closed Kingdom” at the Humboldt Forum Berlin
2006 “Berlin Boheme”, Salon Show at Princess Hoor al Quasimi's private home, London
2004 Late Lunches, fashion performance with Just Mariot, with Ben Becker and Bobo, Maxwell Restaurant, Berlin
1996 “Tags der Nacht hinterher”, hat show with Rammstein live, Praterinsel Munich
1995 “Siegfrieds Lust – Tarnung & Täuschung”, fashion performance with Lisa D., Marstall Theater Munich (with Otto Sander, FLATZ, Rolf Zacher, Wotan) Wilke Möhring et al.)
1994 “Siegfried’s Lust – Camouflage & Deception”, Bar jeder Vernunft, Berlin
1993 “Suddenly Obscene: The Lilac” Fashion performance with Lisa D., Bar jeder Vernunft, Berlin
1992 “Goose in White”, Fashion performance with Lisa D., Jungbrunnen Berlin-Mitte
1992 “Garden of the Senses”, Concept & Artistic Direction with Lisa D., 10th Anniversary of Playboy, Treibhaus Munich
1991 “Tunnel of Love”, Fashion Spectacular in the Ghost Train with Lisa D., Dom Hamburg
1991 “Fashion in the Ghost Train”, with Lisa D., Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, Klagenfurt
1990 “Fashion in the Ghost Train”, with Lisa D., Platz des deutsch/franz. Berlin Folk Festival
COSTUME DESIGN
2010 Nouvelles Aventures, Mini-Opera, Contemporary Opera Berlin
2008 "The Bible", staged reading, Ben Becker
2005 "Swords in the Breast", Ben Becker, staged reading
2004 "Cabaret", Musical, costume design direction with Nicole von Graevenitz, directed by Vincent Paterson "Bar jeder Vernunft Berlin"
2001 "We're Taking Off", Ben Becker, staged reading
2000 Love Sin, TV pro 7, erotic zodiac series
1995 Rammstein, stage costumes including fire cloak & fire hat
ART
2023/24; Talking Hats for the exhibition “Ari Arirang – Korea Fascination for a Closed Kingdom” at the Humboldt Forum, Berlin
2018; Hat objects including “Nosedive” for the exhibition “The Beautiful Room” at Galerie Ochs Privat
2018; “nosedive II” group exhibition “Wonderland I – III”, Gallery Weekend “Kornspeicher” Berlin
2016: “nosedive I” Exhibition “Surrealism & Beyond”, curated by Erich Weiss for the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, October 15, 2016 – January 19, 2017.
2016 “nosedive I” Exhibition “Surrealism & Beyond”, curated by Erich Weiss for the VON BARTHA Gallery, Basel, April – June 2016.
1996 “Fashion – Fetish – Gender”, Hat Exhibition, Akademie Tutzing.
1995 “Life sucks”, Spatial concept with FLATZ, Praterinsel Munich.
INTERIOR/ SET DESIGN
2019 Opening of "SEIN am Schloss" Mühlheim an der Donau, Interior Design & Conceptual Consulting
2017 Conceptual Consulting and Planning Interior of "SEIN am Schloss" Mühlheim an der Donau
2017 "The First FLUSH" Opening by Fiona Bennett, Svenja Katharina Frisch (Assistant), H. Böhme, newly designed rooms 250m2, Varieté, Wintergarten Berlin
2014-2017; Interior project “FLUSH” for Wintergarten Berlin Varieté, with Svenja Katharina Frisch (Assistant), H. Böhme 2011/12; Shop concept, Hutpalast Fiona Bennett, H. Böhme, Berlin 1999; Shop concept, Hut Salon Fiona Bennett, Berlin-Mitte
1998; International GEMA Congress, Artistic Direction with S. Bolz, Spatial Concept, Berlin
LECTURER
2011 AMD Berlin.
1994-1996 Lecturer, HdK Berlin, with Prof. Vivienne Westwood.
CURATOR
2024 Curator of Fashion Positions as part of Berlin Art Week, together with Esther Perbandt.
2023 Curator of Fashion Positions as part of Berlin Art Week, together with Esther Perbandt.
2022 Curator of Fashion Positions as part of Berlin Artweek
ART FAIRS
2025 "Fashion Positions" Fair, "SURVIVAL HATS" Project
2023 "Fashion Positions" Fair, "TWO SOULS ONE HAT" Project, cooperation with Justine Laeufer
2022 "Fashion Positions" Fair, where "Talking Hats" was first shown as a continuation of the Tales of a travelling milliner series
2021 "Fashion Positions" Fair as part of Berlin Artweek, where "Tales of a travelling milliner" was presented as the beginning of an art series
2020 Participation in the "Fashion Positions" Fair as part of Berlin Artweek
2018 Jury member ELLE Bridal Award, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, moderated by Rossy de Palma
2014 Premiere Classe Paris, Kiss by Fiona Bennett
2013 Premiere Classe Paris, Kiss by Fiona Bennett
2011 Capsule, Paris Fair, Kiss by Fiona Bennett
2008 "The ART of contemporary Millinery", group exhibition, London
HAT WORKSHOPS
2025 Craft Your Crown Workshop Series, Petzow Castle Garden
2016-2018 Children's Workshop Grand Hotel Heiligendamm
2017 Children's Workshop, Schloss Elmau
2010 MS Europa – from Oman to Dubai, Hat Workshop
POP-UP
2026 Galerie Wasser
2025 Salon Flaneur, Berlin
2025 Chateau Royale
ARTIST RESIDENCY
2024 Pamoja, Kasbah Lamu/Kenya
FOUNDATION
2012 Fiona Bennett & Hans-Joachim Böhme GbR
2009 "Kiss by Fiona Bennett" knitted design caps & hats made of alpaca wool
1988 Fiona Bennett, Hat Couture
READINGS / LECTURES
2024 Interview Talk at the Humboldt Forum Arena, with curator Dr. Maria Sobotka
2014 Invitation as a speaker, Salon "that's attitude" Museum Bärengasse Zurich
2013 Specialist lecture at the Academy for Business & Media, Barcelona
2013 Reading at Bar Golem, Hamburg, July 17, 2013
2013 Reading at Soho House Berlin, July 2, 2013
2013 Reading at Aufbauhaus, Berlin-Kreuzberg, May 30, 2013
2013 Reading at the bar of Hotel "Das Stue" May 8, 2013
2013 Appearance on the talk show "Menschen der Woche – mit Frank Elstner" May 4, 2013
2013 Reading at Georg Büchner Buchhandlung, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, April 16, 2013
2013 Reading at Bar Gabanyi, Munich, March 21, 2013
2013 Reading at Buchhandlung Ocelot, Berlin Mitte, March 19, 2013
2013 Reading at Grassi Museum Leipzig on March 16, 2013
2013 Book presentation and reading "Vom Locken der Federn" in Berlin Potsdamer Straße with over 250 guests on March 14, 2013
2013 Knesebeck Verlag book presentation on March 14 for the Leipzig Book Fair
2001 "Beware – a Craft Turned Upside Down," lecture GDS, Düsseldorf
HAT PARTY
2011 Charity for Japan, hat party at Chen Ché, with Maison Victor, Berlin
2005 MS Europa cruise liner, hat party & workshop from Acapulco to Hawaii
2004 MS Europa cruise liner, hat party & workshop from Valparaiso to Tahiti
2005 Hat party, Restaurant Modellhut, Berlin
2003 Hat party, Reingold Bar, Berlin
ADVERTISEMENT
2016 Chamber of Crafts, billboards Germany
2001 NIL advertising campaign, billboards Germany, Austria
1992 Sybille Magazine, billboards Germany, advertising campaign
HIGHLIGHTS
2017 Invitation from the British Council for a dialogue with H.R.H. Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge during her visit to Berlin, accompanied by Prince William, Clärchens Ballhaus, Berlin
2015 Invitation to H.M. Queen Elizabeth's birthday party, private residence of the British Ambassador in Berlin
2016 Tagesspiegel Special Edition "Köpfe": "Fiona Bennett" among the 100 companies that move Berlin
2010 Guest of Honour Villa Massimo, Rome
2000 "Schöne Hüte" (Beautiful Hats), advertising by Scholz & Friends, award in Cannes, Golden Lion for advertising campaign
MEMBERSHIP
2020 Fashion Council Germany
2020 HOMO FABER Guide of the Michele Angelo Foundation, Master Artisan
2017 "International Women's Forum" IWF - Building better leadership for a changing world