FORMER office worker Esther Louise Matthews, age 40, has turned an award-winning hobby into a new business, designing and making exquisite ladies' hats.

Esther, who was made redundant from her previous job, has launched her business as a milliner from a home studio in Ruardean Woodside, near Ross-on-Wye under the label Esther-Louise.

Esther studied millinery around her former administration job, qualifying in 2010. Her talent for the craft was evident from an early stage, receiving a City and Guilds Medals for Excellence Commendation and two Commercial Appeal Awards from the prestigious Feltmakers of London.

She went on to be awarded runner-up Hat Designer of the Year in an international trade competition held in Paris. Esther impressed the judges, internationally-renowned milliners Justin Smith and Edwina Ibbotson, with her technical ability and unique designs in a fiercely competitive three-phase competition. She was subsequently invited to exhibit a collection of her work at Premiere Classe Paris, one of Europe's top fashion trade shows.

Esther said: "Losing my job came as a huge shock but offered the perfect opportunity and impetus to take my hobby one step further and start my own business.

"Creativity has always been a passion and with my interest in textiles, fashion and sculptural form, millinery seemed a natural path to follow. A complete career change is a huge step but it was now or never so I decided to just go for it!

"The Paris show involved an enormous amount of work but when you're doing something you love it's a privilege. That was really the start of things and the idea that one day hat-making could be more than just a hobby."

Esther continued to build on her skills and when finding herself facing redundancy in July, she approached business support organisation Gloucestershire Enterprise Ltd (GEL) with her idea and was approved for the New Enterprise Allowance scheme.

"Although I had the millinery knowledge, the prospect of starting a business from scratch was daunting. The workshops and advice offered by GEL have proved extremely valuable in helping me through that initial start-up process. I'm excited and optimistic about the future and with GEL's ongoing support and guidance I'm really looking forward to finally turning my creative business dream into a reality."

Esther combines traditional couture millinery with fabric manipulation techniques using high quality materials to transform classic shapes into beautifully sculptural pieces. She plans to offer two main collections each year, sold online with prices ranging from £150-£500, as well as a bespoke design service. Esther's latest hat creations can be seen at:

www.estherlouisemillinery.co.uk and www.facebook.com/EstherLouise.Millinery Email: enquiries@estherlouisemillinery.co.uk