Woman's Hat, made in Paris, 1910 (leghorn straw, lace, silk velvet, & artificial flowers)

Madame Georgette was one of Paris's best known milliners. Noted for her originality and oversized hats, she was invited in 1912 to spend a month in New York as the guest of the exclusive shop Henri Bendel. Mme Georgette's hats were known for their beauty and originality, as seen in this example of about 1910 in leghorn straw covered with black lace and trimmed with a ruched silk velvet ribbon around the crown and brim and two large roses at the front. One of the outstanding milliners in Paris prior to World War I, the firm, under Mme Alphonsine, continued until at least 1940. Dilys E. Blum, from Ahead of Fashion: Hats of the 20th Century, Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin (1993), p. 11.