Located on the quiet 44 “Vladaiska” street in the center of Sofia, Bulgaria, the House of Hats is an enchanting experience that we were surprised to discover. Welcome to the most amazing house of hats of Sofia.
Here, you can try on hats for hours on end and transform yourself. Founded in 1997, the house of Hats was as a dream of Irina Sardareva to have a real kingdom of hats. She explained that it is not by accident that the house came to me. Before that Maria Hadzhigenova, wife of an ex-minister of agriculture owned the house. She, like Irina, was fascinated by the idea of becoming a hatmaker and when she built the house in 1929 she wanted to fulfil her dream. However her husband did not approve that and Maria left the house and her two children and headed to Paris. Her dream however did not come true and she never succeeded in millinery. But for Irina, it was.
Irina Sardareva was born on 2 August 1955 in Kiev, Ukraine. She graduated microbiology at Kiev State University. During this time, she met Petar Sardarev, a Bulgaria man. They married and started living together in Bulgaria. But, she was unable to find a job, matching her qualification, and she worked as a chemistry teacher for 12 years. In 1992, with her husband, Irina founded the family fashion house “PIGAS”, which was an abbreviation for the names of the family members – Petar, Irina, Georgi and Alexander Sardareva. Since hats had always been Irina’s hobby, Company’s main activity was production and sales of women hats.
Firstly, as an inseparable addition to the collections of the most famous Bulgarian designers, Irina started making her own fashion-shows in 1994.
About her hats and headpieces, Irina creates everything with love because this is her way to send positive energy to people, and make every woman who wears her hats, fascinators or clothes feel happy and beautiful every day.
In 1997, she opened the House of Hats where she currently crafts and sells her hats. Year after year of hard work, mixted with huge talent, Irina Sardareva proved herself as the best hat designer in Bulgaria. She became the most famous Bulgarian hat designer and for sure it is highly deserved. Her workshop is also a very nice place to visit, with 2 rooms full of beautiful hats – some news and others that seem to have crossed years and be back in fashion -, and in the basement her of creation.
Definitely, you hardly ever forget this exquisite experience and always return to this place.
Irina and George, her son, let us try many hats of her own creation, all as extraordinary one another while George took the pictures about me. It’s totally impressive to enter in her world and to be surrounded by so many beautiful hats. For all seasons, all styles, all occasions, all seems to be permitted here, without any restriction. Be careful, you probably want to buy all of them, but it’s normal, don’t worry.
Very friendly, they proposed me to visit the workshop where the hats are made, in the basement of the house. I got so completely immersed in a creative and unique artistic universe. Irina told me that when her friends come to have a diner at home, all of them take the hat they want to wear during the diner. It is a very enjoying and user-friendly moment.
So, it’s the moment to discover which hat we choose. George, Irina’s son, who works for the family fashion, gave us lot of advices about style and materials and was very patient. The hat was created in 3 days. It is a unique handmade hat. What else ?!
More : Address / Tel. (359) 895 443 557/irina@irinasardareva.com / www.IrinaSardarevaHats.etsy.com/ Facebook :IrinaSardareva / Instagram / Creation workshop hats/ Mon – Fri : 10:00am – 6:30pm; Sat : 12:00pm – 6:00pm/ Prices (2017) at The House of Hats in Sofia : 60€ à 150€ (for a custom hat)/ Women & men/ Cash or credit card.
