Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Willis.
Hi Ashley, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been interested in fashion and I was in the corporate fashion industry in NYC for over a decade! I was constantly on the hunt for hats that I liked or fit me well and could never find exactly what I was looking for.
So, one day off of a whim, I decided to take a class at the last millinery program in the US, which is The Fashion Institute of Technology. After my first class, I was hooked and this was my “Ah Ha” moment.
I finished the program while I was still working in the Corp Fashion world as Director of Brand Development and after 2.5 years of millinery school, I quit my job and started my business! A. Botts Willis custom hats (known as “the girl who wears hats”) And moved to Nashville, TN. I wanted the shop to be mobile and to serve the community in a way that more people could afford high quality products. So I built my shop out in a hat trailer which houses a workshop and a retail space and I made price points that were more affordable to the masses. I also decided to offer payment plans! High fashion and slow fashion should be more affordable for everyone!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Owning your own business and starting a small business is never easy! The hardest part to me was getting started. It was taking that leap of faith and believing in myself and my product. I decided that I was going to have only one plan and that was to succeed at starting my hat shop! I will tell anyone that if you have a dream and you are passionate enough about it and believe in yourself, it will be successful!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a custom hatmaker/milliner based in Nashville, TN. I specialize in both men’s and women’s hats, working with 100x beaver felts, beaver/rabbit blends, rabbit/hare fur felts, and Panama straws. I focus on putting a modern twist on classic styles and am inspired and influenced by my southern roots, big city style, and education in traditional millinery and hat making. It is super important to me and I am most proud of making my clients happy and empowered in my hats. I love seeing/hearing that my clients love their hats, wear them all the time and get loads of compliments on them. In a world where fast fashion and big box retailers are the new norm, I want my customers to have a more personal experience and feel 100% satisfied with the custom handmade product they are receiving. I build relationships and friendships with my clients and the biggest compliment I could ever get is a repeat client!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I have always been into dressing for myself and stepping outside of the box with fashion. I had a big personality, I loved being outdoors and was very active. I played tennis, along with other sports. I collected Native American jewelry and went antiquing with my parents all the time (they were in the antique business)
Contact Info:
- Email: Abottswillis@gmail.com
- Website: www.abottswillis.com
- Instagram: @abottswillis
- Facebook: A. Botts Willis
Image Credits
Guillaume Lechat
