LOUISVILLE, Ky. — They can be big, bold and colorful. You usually see them on top of people’s heads for a few weeks a year. We’re talking about Kentucky Derby hats and fascinators. 

On a quiet afternoon, several materials inside Dee’s Hats are about to be transformed into something special. In Dee’s Hats owner Kathy Olliges’ eyes, when it comes to making Kentucky Derby hats and fascinators, the possibilities are endless.

“I love taking something, and creating something from nothing.” Olliges said.

Olliges was born and raised in Louisville. Her mom and dad opened the store in a different spot more than 50 years ago back in 1970.

Her mom purchased the original store from a woman named Dee. Kathy said they started making hats around 1985.

Olliges has worked at the store since she was a teenager. She’s made hats and fascinators for decades. Her mother taught her how to sew, crochet and knit.

Her creativity runs deep.

“I watched my mother be creative. She sewed all of our clothes when we were little.” Olliges explained. “When I was 13 or probably even 12, she taught my best friend and I how to make a dress from scratch. She knitted. She cooked. Of course, back then everybody cooked. She did a lot of creative things.”

So does Olliges. She uses a lot of different materials in her hats. One hat that Olliges worked on was made from a natural fabric called sinamay, from the abaca plant. She then used light green material to put on the hat called crinoline. Netting, and of course, natural feathers, are also used in dozens of colors.

When making a hat or fascinator, Kathy said several things are important. 

“No glue showing. Number 1, no mechanics showing. It has to be somewhat balanced. Your balance may not be my balance, it may not be our customer’s balance, so you have to keep an open mind. I like the fact that these all go different directions. But, you may have a customer that’s very specifically saying one way or another so you have to listen to that customer, because you’re making it specifically for them,” Olliges said as she made a Derby hat. “If they’re going to wear it, it’s very important for them to have it look good.”

In 2019, Dee’s Hats sold 3,000 hand-embellished hats and fascinators, and around 8,000 total. 

Olliges told Spectrum News 1 it takes about 30 minutes to make a fascinator, and about 2 hours to make a large Derby hat.

And the hats can be very intricate and unique. One hat at Dee’s Hats had a dish of banana split on it that was made entirely out of fabric. On the hat, there were three different scoops of fabric ice cream, including chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. There were even fabric sprinkles and a fabric cherry on top to finish the hat.

“One time we built a tiki house on top of a hat. Last year we were getting ready to do an aquarium, but that didn’t own out because of COVID,” Olliges explained.

Spectrum News 1 was at Dee’s Hats as Angela Cook picked up her hat. Louisville is home for her.

Cook plans to attend a Derby Brunch for the first time—and she’s thrilled.

“I’m in love with it! It goes right with my outfit.” Cook said with a smile. “The colors blend, because I will be bright. They’ll see me.”

Dee’s Hats also designs men’s hats. Olliges said that in the last 5 to 6 years, it’s gotten more popular for guys to coordinate their Derby outfits. 

“They want to feel special too! Guys want to dress up,” Olliges said. “I think it’s become a thing. They want to be proud of their wife and she can be proud of him and they go together.”

She said the work they do matters. 

“It matters to me, because it matters so much to my customers,” Olliges said.

She hopes to inspire her customers and make them feel good.

“I hope it makes them feel pretty and makes them feel special because not everybody gets to go to the Derby, and when you get to go to the Derby, it’s a special day,” Olliges said with a smile. “We know that.”

For some, it’s a special day with a little something unique created by Olliges for this year’s Kentucky Derby. 

Olliges said she thinks anybody can be creative.

“You’ve just got to not be afraid of what you’re doing, and how it turns out,” she said.