Above looks from Yestadt Millinery S/S10 by Samantha West Photography.

Sarah Ivory: Molly, how did you get into hat making while you were designing shoes at Steve Madden?

Molly Yestadt: Well, I have a Millinery degree from FIT, and I am not sure what exactly interested me about it but…this is going to sound a little cheesy.

Sarah: I love cheese.

Molly: Well, my mom helped me throw a trunk show with all her classy Westchester friends and I got like 20 custom orders. That gave me the confidence to pursue it more actively.

Sarah: You made these old ladies hats, and then what happened?

Molly: I was at a party with a family friend who knew someone at Intermix and that led to a meeting, which led to my first order. I was funding and producing everything myself while I was still working at Steve Madden full time. It was intense.

Sarah: Plus you’re, like, 12!

Molly: I am 26!

Sarah: Me too!

Molly: Really? I always thought you were a lot older than me.

Sarah: Umm, ok…So your hats are retailing at Intermix one day and then you are designing men’s hats for the Marc Jacobs F/W09 show. WTF?!

Molly: Yeah, that was pretty amazing, I had designed a hat for a friend of mine who is a model. He happened to be wearing my hat while he was on a shoot with the stylist Alister Mackie, who was also styling the Marc Jacobs show and…well, you get the idea.

Sarah: You are like the Cinderella of hats. Marc Jacobs, that’s huge!

Molly: To be honest, I really didn’t realize how important that was for my credibility because it was just happening so fast. People would ask me what he was like, and I was like, “Wait do you think I actually got to work with him directly?”

Sarah: Hahaha. Stupid people. Who’s your favorite designer?

Molly: Galliano. Does everyone say that?

Sarah: Not to me. Most recently, I saw some footage of your hats during Vena Cava’s S/S10 presentation. I love them!

Molly: Yes! That was really cool. I am just focusing on orders now. Anthropologie placed a huge order, and they actually picked the craziest hats—even this turban and cloche I designed!

Sarah: I can’t do turbans.

Molly: Yeah, I don’t think they would look right on you, either.

Sarah: What kinds of challenges are you coming across?

Molly: I feel like my biggest challenge is to teach women that hats can be an everyday accessory, just as common as playing with a different shoe or bag.

Sarah: What’s a good hat for sexing?

Molly: What do you mean?

Sarah: You know, to do it in.

Molly: Oh, I would have to say my new hairpieces. I was listening to an Otis Redding song and he kept saying “Tramp!” over and over again and that translated into these little headpieces. They are less expensive. I made them with vintage, plush plumes, and they are easy to wear.

Sarah: I need one of those. I won’t look like Blossom in one those. Thanks Molly!

Yestadt Millinery hats can be found online and at The Hat Store and Anthropologie.