Milliner takes a walk on the wild side at safari park
[gallery order="DESC" columns="4"] A Black Country milliner has gone wild for exotic animals – launching her autumn/winter hat collection with the help of West Midland Safari Park.
Caroline Butcher, aged 46, has achieved her dream by launching her first collection and hopes eventually to have a chain of shops.
She enlisted the help of Bob Lawrence, director of wildlife at the safari park in Bewdley, to find the perfect backdrop for a fashion shoot. Caroline will donate 12 per cent from the sale of every hat from her 2012 Wild Collection to the Safari Park's Namibian Conservation Trust.
Born in Halesowen, she went to Earls High School before studying at Halesowen College. She became a personal assistant at steel stockholding firm Avesta Stainless before moving to Newey & Eyre electrical distributors.
She then became human resources director at Rockline Industry in Redditch followed by a smilar role at Paintbox Ltd. Six years ago she was introduced to the International Design Centre in Redditch, where she decided to study part-time in millinery.
"I gained City & Guilds Level 2 in millinery and decided to launch a cottage industry from my home in Droitwich, she said.
