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Faces of Gabriel’s Wharf takes a closer look at the creative community of Gabriel’s Wharf, and what makes them such a unique addition to London’s iconic South Bank.
In this instalment of the series, we have been talking to Janice Bocquillon, owner of Heads Rule Hearts, who has now been in Gabriel’s Wharf for over 20 years. Janice makes original hats by hand on her sewing machine, designing them and cutting the patterns herself. She also makes children’s hats, ponchos, and dresses, as well as scarves and bags.
What Janice enjoys the most about working in Gabriel’s Wharf is that the community is full of creative people – knitters, artists, and jewellers, who all produce their work in their shops. Gabriel’s Wharf is unique and different to the high street, as it’s full of independent shops, and customers can walk in and see the product being made by the maker. Customers can order a made-to-measure hat or scarf in the colours and designs they want, which creates a brand new shopping experience.
Janice begins the process of creating her hats by designing a cardboard pattern and cutting out the fabric. For the fabric, Janice uses a lot of offcuts or recycled materials, such as recycled jeans to create a denim hat. She sews the hat together on her sewing machine before adding the finishing touches to the design by hand, with buttons or scraps of fabric.
No one hat from Heads Rule Hearts is the same, and only 4 or 5 hats are made of each style.
As Heads Rule Hearts is situated on London’s iconic South Bank, Janice enjoys getting a variety of customers visiting her shop. Theatregoers, tourists, and families love to try on her hats, and they like to see a shop that is special and distinct from any other.
We asked Janice: “If you had to describe Heads Rule Hearts in three words, what words would you pick?”
She responded: “Fun, creative, handmade!”
Always showcasing something genuinely unique, Heads Rule Hearts is the perfect place to visit for anyone interested in contemporary fashion that eschews the generic in favour of something made with care and attention.
Visit Gabriel’s Wharf on the South Bank and pop into Heads Rule Hearts to browse through their original range of hats and clothing.
To discover the full range of hats available in the shop, visit their Instagram below:
