BY: JENNIFER, SIOBHAN, AND NIAMH, pip guest bloggers
I am a milliner who lives and works in Brewster, New York. As a milliner, I have been in business for over 25 years and have sold my designs to high end retailers and private customers, worldwide. I studied millinery during my junior year of study in London and began selling hats when I graduated college in 1993. Over the years, I have worked as a women's wear buyer and merchandiser. I am a wife and mother to twin girls who were born very prematurely. To say the last 14 years has been challenging and a juggling act would be an understatement. It is not always easy to be a mom and a business woman, sometimes you have to put what you love doing aside. While always maintaining my business at a certain level it is just in the past year I have been able to focus more time on my hats.
Large Message Fedoras made of Toyo Straw by Jennifer Hoertz-Mulcahy, Milliner/ Hat Designer www.jenniferhoertz.com & mother of Siobhan and Niamh
When Katrina, who also photographs my collections, asked me and my girls to be a part of the PIP nevertheless campaign it was an honor and has been very exciting to come up with an idea in my genre of millinery. Back in 1998 and again in 2005 while working with a sunscreen company, I began putting the SPF message on simple sun hats as a reminder of the importance of wearing sunscreen and a hat to protect our skin. I revisited this idea over the past few years with messages such as SPF, and the word sun hat in various languages including French, Italian and Chinese on simple sunhats. This was the perfect way to get the message “Nevertheless, She Persisted” across because everyday I find that I, too, am persisting at following dreams. I think it is important to show our daughters that through hard work and persistence we can make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others no matter what path we follow. Every mother, sister, daughter, and friend can touch our lives and make a difference. I hope that I can be an inspiration and role model for my own daughters to be above all .... persistent.
Drawing by Siobhan Mulcahy, 8th grader & daughter of Jennifer Hoertz-Mulcahy and twin sister of Niamh
My name is Siobhan Mulcahy. I am 13 years old and live in Brewster New York. I play the flute and I am involved with the plays at school and the 4H. I am also a Girl Scout and working on the Silver award with my troop. I love art and spend my spare time drawing cartoons, animating and creating characters for my stories. I have a twin sister Niamh and we have a dog, bird and chickens. My favorite book is “Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children” because it shows us that it is okay to be who you are and express yourself through your talents. I think I am a good sister and friend. I created this piece of art to show that life is a balancing act for all women even for an 8th grader like me.
Drawing by Niamh Mulcahy, 8th grader & daughter of Jennifer Hoertz-Mulcahy and twin sister of Siobhan
My name is Niamh Mulcahy. I am 13 years old and live in Brewster New York. I have a twin sister Siobhan, a dog named Maggie and Chickens. I am a member of the National Junior Honor Society and a Girl Scout, working on my silver award. I am on the field hockey team at school and my favorite club is creative writing and I like to draw and read. My favorite books are the Harry Potter series and favorite author is J.K. Rowling. I like Harry Potter because not only is it a great adventure and lets me use my imagination, it shows us that anyone can do anything regardless of where they come from or what other people think. It also shows us that we should accept each other for who we are and that our talents are what make us unique. I made this picture when I was doodling in my spare time and was inspired to share it, here, to show about diversity. We all are different and it is important for people to accept each other.
Twins Niamh (left), & Siobhan (right) and mom/milliner/hat designer-Jennifer Hoertz-Mulcahy, whose fabulous hats can be found at: www.jenniferhoertz.com.