New Era threw a competition for young (and probably old) creatives worldwide asking them to design their own hat using a blank New Era 59FIFTY as their canvas. The prize being a £10,000 bursary for the winner to put towards their chosen career path. The final 80 had an exhibition thrown for them and all the hats were totally mind blowing – but the competition all had to boil down to ONE winner, Lina Al-Amoudi, whose hat, Bilquis, was so detailed it even smelt incredible! We spoke to Lina to find out more about the winning hat and her plans for the FUTUR3.
What were the inspirations for your hat?
I wanted to produce and tell a story for something from my heritage. And I wanted people to be able to walk around the hat and learn something about an inspiring woman from the area I come from. Growing up in Saudi Arabia you need a man to do anything, so I was always in this constant search for a woman to look up to. I’ve always been told about the Queen of Sheba and I got inspired by telling her story, so I divided the cap into four images, each one celebrating a part of her life. One of them celebrates her beauty, another celebrates her marriage to King Solomon, one her constructions – she built one of the first damns in civilisation and the last one talks about her as a mother.
It’s so detailed! You want to just get inside it! If you could sell it from any price, what would it be?
Price? Not too sure, I haven’t thought about it.
Priceless?!
Yeah, I’m not too sure I would sell it, I think I would keep it so my Grandkids know that their Grandma was useful for something!
Aww, I’m sure you’re useful for more than that. Did you do the laser cutting yourself?
Yeah, I directed it myself, I always had to re-draw and simplify the design so the laser could actually cut it.
How did you hear about the competition?
I heard through a friend who recommended that I should join, I thought it was so out of my element, I’ve never designed a cap or any item of clothing, so I had to learn stitching.
What were you doing beforehand?
I’m a freelance graphic designer and most of the work I do is print based, so I never have to think of the viewer looking at it in 3D.
What did you study at University?
I studied at UAE, I took up visual communication there, I always loved to draw but I didn’t know when I was younger, that I could use it as a tool to express myself, but university was where I learnt about screen-printing and photography and whatnot so I kind of discovered mediums.
When you won, what was your reaction?
I was extremely confused, they asked me to go on Skype and I thought I was going to get into trouble because I didn’t use the camera that they gave me, but when I realised I won I was so confused, crying and stuff – it took a really long time to settle in.
I don’t think I’d believe it – actually I can’t even draw so I definitely wouldn’t have won. I didn’t even apply so that’s even more of a reason I wouldn’t have won… Anyway, what are you going to put the money towards?
Hopefully towards my Masters, I’ve been working for a few years to save up so this bursary will really help and the other half I want to put into a little studio, to hopefully give a platform to local designers in the area.
Would you say your hat is wearable/comfortable?
Oh it’s definitely not comfortable! I don’t think it would fit on anyones head! I had to constantly go back and forth to get the hat to fit so I decided to make it more of an art piece. But if I could get the chance to wear the hat, I’d love to. It would be cool
If I give you a list of three things that I really like, can you draw a picture of them in hat-form?
Yeah
Have I got a pen? I have! It’s going to be great… I like steak kittens and Range Rovers. Oh, and iPhones. You can take your time…
EPIC.
Words: Polly Salmon
