Maxine White, of Jackson, has been creating one-of-a-kind hats for over thirty years. Growing up in Denmark, Tennessee, she developed an interest in fashion design as a small child. Her mother was a seamstress, and Maxine wanted to emulate her. In high school, she began designing her own clothes. By 1982, a new-found interest in millinery led her to begin creating her own hats. Her business, Maxie’s Hats, is a staple in the Jackson and offers unique designs to the community.
Growing up in the home of African American women, hats have always been important for Maxine. From a young age she learned to view hats as a fashion statement and powerful form of self-expression among Black women. This “will to adorn,” as folklorist Zora Neale Hurston famously stated, was something that motivated, encouraged, and promoted a strong self-identity for the women around her.
In 2021, Maxine taught her first apprentice through the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program. This year, apprentice Morgan Washington will be learning the traditional skills of millinery, including wet blocking, designing, and trimming custom hats. Morgan, also from Jackson, is currently a business fashion major. Inspired by her grandmother, Morgan is drawn to colorful, creative textile designs. During the pandemic, she created a line of masks and matching head wraps. She is excited to expand her knowledge of hat making so that this dying art continues in Jackson.
