Thank you for joining the Sydney family and being the reason we continue to make beautiful, functional bonnets that are so much more than a tie-hat. Our behind-the-scenes starts with our intuitive, ambitious founder, Clair, who started the business out of necessity when she couldn’t find the style of baby bonnet that she wanted for her daughter, Sydney. She took matters into her own hands (literally), created the perfect bonnet, and got compliments and questions everywhere they went. This is where the pretty special journey began.
DESCRIBE YOUR FAMILY
We’re a fun bunch of people that really enjoy each other’s company. We are at our best when we’re traveling, camping, playing outside, or doing something all together. Taylor is the glue that holds our family together, I am the optimist, Noah is our thoughtful adventurer, and Sydney is the life of the party.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST INSPIRATION FOR YOUR BONNETS?
I really find inspiration everywhere. For an upcoming bonnet, I walked into a botanical nursery and amongst all of the beautiful greenery was an employee wearing an “outrageous” colored beanie, with the same color of scissors sitting on the table. It was basically the only color in the shop. My immediate thought was that I HAD to do a bonnet in this color.
HOW DID YOU MAKE THE CHOICE TO HOUSE PRODUCTION?
For a long time, I debated over whether to keep production in-house or source it to a factory in the US. Ultimately, with consideration of the end-product and overall control, we decided to keep production here in the studio. For the first two years, production was actually housed in my home, with several employees coming in and out daily. Last May, we moved Sydney HQ into this beautiful space and couldn’t be happier.
WHAT DREAMS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE “BONNET FACTORY”?
As much as I love our current location, I’d love to grow out of it someday! Regardless of our location, our “bonnet factory” will always be an inspirational space that employs wonderful people and produces an amazing product.
