This Woman-Owned Millinery Is the Perfect Place To Buy Your Derby Hat

Headwear is a beloved part of the Kentucky Derby, from wide-brimmed sunhats to colorful fedoras and feathered fascinators. Women and men often begin planning their outfits, including their hats, months before the first Saturday in May: Derby Day. I recently visited an internationally recognized hat shop on East Main Street in Louisville. At Formé Millinery Co., Master Milliner Jenny Pfanenstiel creates and sells high-quality, handcrafted couture hats. I was blown away by Jenny's creations and the artist herself, who graciously showed me around.

I walked into Formé Millinery Co. on a sunny March afternoon and immediately knew I was in for a treat. Hats of all shapes, colors, and styles were artfully arranged along the green walls. Jenny Pfanenstiel welcomed me, and I felt honored to meet her. Jenny is a six-time Featured Milliner for the Kentucky Derby and the Official Milliner of the Kentucky Derby Museum. She has won many accolades, including the Best Renowned Milliner in the USA in 2023 at the LUXlife Style and Apparel Awards. Jenny's customers include Oprah Winfrey and Madonna—wow!

Jenny told me about her fascinating journey to the millinery. She began sewing as a young girl, eventually studied fashion design at the Art Institute of Colorado, and later moved to Chicago, where she worked making costumes. Jenny began making hats and was drawn to a time-honored technique called blocking, where a milliner molds material over a wooden hat form called a block to create a hat's shape. She showed me the rows of hat blocks around Formé Millinery Co., many of which are more than 100 years old. "I'm an old soul," Jenny said. She explained that while making hats, she often wonders, "Who made a hat on this years ago?"

Jenny handcrafts her hats; each is unique and truly a work of art. She often incorporates vintage materials into her creations. I looked around the shop and took in the tremendous variety. There were bright colors and muted tones, wide hats with large embellishments, and smaller cloches and fascinators. Jenny has collaborated with many brands, including Woodford Reserve, Vineyard Vines, and Swarovski. She pointed out two hats sparkling with Swarovski crystals, and I especially loved one with sparkling racehorses around the brim.

Jenny led me toward the back of the hat shop, explaining that she creates her hats "from scratch." The space was filled with brightly colored materials, organized and beautifully arranged. A table in the center held some of her latest creations.

Formé Millinery takes custom hat orders, which are made to perfectly fit a customer's head and reflect their personal style. Each hat takes from three days to three weeks to create! The shop also runs a Hat Hospital, where they re-block, clean, and replace materials to breathe new life into older hats.

Jenny and her husband, Bart, also own The Hat Shoppe in Louisville's St. Matthew's neighborhood and the Judith M Millinery Supply House in La Grange, Kentucky. The Hat Shoppe sells finished hats at various prices and oodles of supplies to decorate your own hat. The La Grange store is a millinery supply house selling hat-making materials to a range of customers, including milliners, theatres, hat shops, and schools.

For more information, visit Formé Millinery Co.'s website and Facebook page.

Main Street in Louisville is a hot spot with excellent museums, shops, and restaurants. The Kentucky Science Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory are fantastic places to visit. In Season Harvest Kitchen and Repeal Oak Fired Steakhouse are delicious restaurants on Main Street. Tartan House is a welcoming cocktail bar just doors from Formé Millinery Co.

Consider planning a weekend getaway to downtown Louisville. Hotel Genevieve on East Market is a beautiful hotel within walking distance of many attractions.