A tucked-away workshop in Old Town Scottsdale is defying the fast-fashion hat industry.
By Anna Montoya-Gaxiola | Photo: Angelina Aragon
A tucked-away workshop in Old Town Scottsdale is defying the fast-fashion hat industry.
At Mill & Habs, each stitch tells a story of tradition, individuality and appreciation for the simple things, informed by founder Eleanor “Ellie” White’s humble beginnings in Columbus, Georgia.
“I grew up with absolutely nothing and was so very loved, but very less fortunate in a lot of ways,” she says of growing up in a small trailer. “I wanted to break the mold, I guess, of my generations [of ancestors].”
She started a nursing program, but it didn’t feel right.
“One day, I just quit everything on a whim,” White (pictured below) says. “I went home, packed up all my belongings and told my mom I was moving to Nashville.”
While chasing her big-city dreams, she nourished her artistic side through making custom jackets, pottery and paintings. To pay the bills, she worked for a wealth management company that relocated her to the Valley three years ago. After discovering hat making, she founded Mill & Habs and opened her storefront last September.
“I think I created something that will set my soul on fire for the rest of my life,” she says.
Her shop’s name comes from “millinery,” headwear for women, and “haberdashery,” goods for men. White uses hand-dyed fabrics and local leathers; rabbit and beaver pelts; and gold and silver pendants. From her start selling hats off her own head to crafting bespoke pieces, “I’ve embraced the journey,” she says.
Mill & Habs
4014 N. Goldwater Blvd., Scottsdale
602-582-7069,
millandhabs.com
