David Shilling

David Shilling (born 27 June 1949) is a self-taught creative artist, English milliner, sculptor, fashion and interior designer. He is best known for designing extravagant hats and clothing displayed on Ladies' Day at Royal Ascot He is known as "The Hatman” and "the Mad Hatter.” He is currently a Prospective Private Astronaut.
Childhood.
David Shilling was born in London and attended St Paul's School, London. By the age of twelve he was designing hats and outfits for his mother, Gertrude, for her to wear to the Ascot horse races until she died in 1999. By the age of thirteen he was creating toys to sell at his local shop, and later, scarves and accessories to major British retailers such as Fenwick, Fortnum & Mason, and Liberty.
Early trading.
Shilling opened his first store in Marylebone High Street in 1976: two days after its opening the store received an order from a rock star's wife for twenty four hats.
His first collection was purchased in America by Bloomingdale's; and other stores began selling his creations soon afterwards. In the late 1970s Bergdorf Goodman charged up to $3,000 for a David Shilling hat.
Later activities.
Shilling subsequently decided to stop the wholesale branch of his hat-making works and focus entirely on made-to-order products.
In 2007 he displayed the first of an expected ten collections of hats (each priced at £1,000,000) at Top Marques Monaco. In November 2009 he held his first show in mainland China at the Ritz-Carlton in Beijing. His work encompasses all areas of art, fashion and design, outdoor sculpture, jewellery, men’s and ladies' bespoke clothing, accessories, home furnishings, theatre, ballet, opera and interior design.
Charitable Work.
Shilling has worked with many charities, including Consortium for Street Children for whom he designed their logo & helped organise their launch at 10 Downing Street, World Horse Welfare, a patron of Action on Addiction, Darwin Centre, Natural History Museum, London, and created a millinery course for HM Prison, The Mount. 
Notable events.
1980 BBC British TV series "Arena" created a film on Shilling "How to Get Ahead in Fashion"
1988 Invited by the USSR to show his hats during the first Miss USSR Pageant in Moscow, the first live TV broadcast throughout the USSR, which was viewed by 200 million.
1990 Headed a successful mission for the United Nations in Ecuador which led to other projects as an art and design ambassador with the UN in Africa and Asia. 
1994 Invited to design the emblem for Britain's Festival of Arts and Culture; due to this he became a driving force behind the new "Cool Britannia" re-branding of Britain.
1998 Designs for theatre, opera, ballet, film and TV formed an exhibition at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
2005 A series of 40 ft tall stainless steel and aluminum sculptures collectively called "Hope" installed atop Primrose Hill in London's Regents Park as part of "Discover - Positive Elements of Life."
2010 A hat with diamonds created by David in the late 1970s was nominated by the "Guinness World Records" as the most expensive hat in the world in the 21st century.
2018 Launches World Yacht Party, a collection of music videos and recordings.
2012 Preview of a collection of hats designed for men at the Embassy of Monaco, London.
2021 Applies to join a ten-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in a mixed crew of professional and privately funded astronauts.
In Collections.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Los Angeles County Museum
The Louvre's Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Victoria and Albert Museum (London)
British Government Art Collection Acrylic on Canvas (London)
Holdenby House Steel Sculptures, Northampton England