Cha Cha began studying the craft of millinery in 1994 under the tutelage of the highly regarded milliner, Anne Allbrizzio. After completing the millinery program at FIT she began designing for private clients. Soon she started collaborating with the East Village designer Mark Montano. With Mark she could stretch her talents and create fantastic pieces for his seasonal fashion shows.
In August of 2001 she opened her millinery design studio, Cha Cha’s House of Ill Repute. Here, at her laboratory on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, she worked closely with custom clients while also designing her eclectic line of hats. Combining Old World techniques and the inspiration of the 1920’s & 1930’s with her own unique style she has created a line of hats that appeal to a new generation of hat enthusiasts. In 2007 Cha Cha's House relocated to a new, larger location in the up and coming Dumbo neigborhood in Brooklyn.
Recently Cha Cha has moved back to Manhattan and currently has her studio at 212 West 35th St., 12th Floor, NY, NY 10001. At this new location she can better accomodate wholesale clients at her showroom/factory. Retail clients are, of course, always welcome by appt.
Cha Cha’s hats have attracted the attention of the entertainment industry. She counts several celebrities as devoted clients including Alicia Keyes and Sienna Miller. Her hats have also been purchased by Queen Latifah, Pink, & Sheryl Crowe among others. Bette Midler has also purchased one of her hats, now if she could just get Stevie Nicks in one of her designs her life would be complete.
Cha Cha hand blocks each hat on her personal collection of vintage and specially designed blocks using the finest quality straws and felts. She scours local & regional flea markets for vintage millinery, antique trimmings and feathers to inspire her designs. Her signature hat the “stingy fedora” is a fabulous example of Thirties inspiration blended with the unique vision of the designer. Other best selling styles include Cloches, Porkpies, and modern updates on the Bowler. Cha Cha is steadily carving out a niche in the market for hats with style and attitude.