HAVO,, Gymnasium,, paramedical education and study costume history. Member of Club Chapeau Passion de France. Registered as a designer at the Keunstwurk Foundation Friesland. Hillegonda Hoogvliet- Nijdam is a professional hat designer since 1994. After having worked for years in healthcare she made a career switch. She got the millinery education from Harry Scheltens in Amsterdam who was hatter for Queen Beatrix for almost 30 years. All her hats are unique and hand made. Only quality materials are used but also unconventional materials are processed at which in her work she sometimes uses an unexpected detail. Her designs are trendy, stylish and mathematically as also fanciful and romantic. Many of her free work shows her love for expression and theatrical design that recently manifested in succesful educational ivory-and-ebony-265x250projects to develop art and design at primary, secundary and high schools.