Profile

A former apprentice of renowned milliner Don Marshall — whose designs graced the coifs of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly, and Estée Lauder — designer Susan van der Linde has made a name of her own among New York’s ladies-who-lunch crowd with her sophisticated and whimsical hats. Shoppers must be buzzed up to her spacious store, where the white-washed walls frame the collection she constructs on site. During summer months, double-brimmed straw hats figure prominently, along with dressier gauzy picture hats in sea-foam green, light lavender, and ever-fashionable black. In the fall and winter, rich fabrics such as felt, leather, suede, fur, and wool dominate her designs. With a keen eye for texture, van der Linde uses everything from synthetic horse hair to furniture upholstery for her one-of-a-kind designs. To compliment her headwear, the designer also carries low-profile heels and pumps as well as a collection of popular, lightweight loafers and dressy Lucite flats. Warmly hued clutches in crocodile and stingray finish off this upscale accessory shop’s stylish inventory. — Amy Wilkinson