Name:

Sam Kate Toney

Craft/Business:

Owner of Ramblin Rose Hat Co.

Hobbies:

Reading, beading, movies, and board games!

Hometown:

Reidsville, North Carolina

Website:

instagram.com/ramblinrosehatco

How did you get started working in your craft?

I got my start in theatrical costuming. I took my first hat-building course when I was an undergrad almost ten years ago. My degree is in costume design and technology. In college it was common to learn a little bit of everything in the world of costuming, but most people who were builders found a discipline in either clothing or costume crafts (masks, hats, shoes, armor, etc.). I grew up painting and sculpting and sewing, so it seemed only natural for my focus to be more on the craft side.

What was your professional journey before working in this field?

After graduating college in 2012, I started interning at various regional theatres around the country. I’d get hired to go somewhere to build costumes for a few months at a time- they’d pay peanuts, but provide housing, so I was able to make it work. I started to be the only person that knew how to, or was interested in, building hats and headwear for shows, and I was able to build up enough of a portfolio to apply for craft and millinery specific positions at larger theaters. My first milliner position was for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, which then lead me to being hired as an assistant milliner at the Santa Fe Opera. I did two summers with the Santa Fe Opera, and in the months between, I had started and quit grad school in Tucson, AZ. After my second summer wrapped up at the Opera, I was packed up and ready to move on to my next adventure in New York. I had secured an apartment with friends and had prospective millinery jobs lined up, but I got as far as Alabama before the desert called me back. Someone from the Opera called me while I was holed up in an airbnb and told me that a custom hat shop in Santa Fe was hiring. I don’t know why, but I felt compelled to at least apply, and got a call the next day with a job offer. I drove through to North Carolina to say hi to my family and turned right back around to make the drive back. It was one of the craziest moments of my life, but as I was driving back through the same thousands of miles that I had just driven, I kept telling myself that I was going to find the love of my life in Santa Fe. Flash forward fourteen tough but educational months later, I decided to start my own business.

What do your days typically look like?

I’m usually building four or five hats at a time, so every day is dedicated to one part of the hat building process. I’ll work on the hats assembly-line style, and in the meantime, answer emails, plan out the next round of builds, take appointments for hat-fittings, and attempt to get some beading or leather work done. I’m really lucky that my studio happens to be close to some fantastic walking trails, so I usually try to fit in a quick stroll through the woods with my sweet (and scrappy) dog, Charlie.

What makes your pieces special?

I work closely with each client to make a hat that is truly their own and that’s built strong enough to live a life as full as it’s owner. My hands do every part of the process and I take time to get to know my client’s heads and their hearts.

What is your future vision for your business?

The only thing I’m sure of at the moment is that I want to continue to be the one building hats. My business model is dependent on a very slow and sustainable growth and I’m just fine with that.

What's your favorite thing about your work?

Changing people’s minds about whether or not they look good in hats! If you’ve got a head, you’re gonna look good in a hat- you just have to find the right hat.

What's the biggest challenge you face in your work?

Having enough time and capital to experiment. Custom work keeps me very busy, and I’m so thankful for that, but I also have a lot of ideas in my head and not always the extra time or money to execute them.

Who do you go to for professional advice, and what's the best advice they've given you?

I’ve learned a lot about the business I want to run by working for other people. To be honest, I don’t seek out professional advice from anyone at the moment. Lots of people have tried to offer it up, but it usually entails growing at a rate that I’m not comfortable with or making products that I’m not interested in. I don’t know who said it, but I think the best professional advice I’ve ever been given is “stay true to yourself.” That being said, I am SO thankful to be surrounded by so many other female small business owners - I may not be seeking professional advice from them currently, but I’m inspired by them daily.

What advice can you give to budding creatives and entrepreneurs in Santa Fe?

Take the time to really know your product. Make it your passion and people will have no trouble believing in you.

When and why did you decide to move to Santa Fe?

Santa Fe decided for me… but, I always tell people I officially landed here the summer of 2017.

What makes Santa Fe special to you?

Santa Fe has made so many dreams come true for me and I’m completely enchanted by its rich culture, history, and landscape. I fell in love here and continue to do so everyday.

If you could change one thing about Santa Fe, what would it be?

Housing. We’ve got a real housing crisis here and it needs to be addressed- and not just with more luxury condos.

What are you passionate about outside of your craft?

Storytelling. I’m a sucker for a good story, whether it be visual, audio, or written. I love to learn about other people’s lives and how they overcome struggle.

At the end of the day, why do you do what you do?

I do what I do because I love the work, but it really hasn’t been a field that women have been present in for long. I hope my own story inspires other women to pursue careers that are typically male-dominated. I truly believe that women can do it all.

Sam Kate Toney, Owner of Ramblin Rose Hat Co.