On a wintry afternoon at the Drake Hotel, hats are top of mind right outside of the hotel's storied Palm Court tea room.

Chicagoan Laura Hubka designs and creates all the hats at her pop-up shop at the Drake Hotel; a mix of serious and whimsical, colorful and nifty neutrals.

"You can't have a bad time when you're trying on hats with friends," she said.  

Laura loves everything about hats, and when she gets to work, lovely things happen.

She works her magic in a tiny home studio, where she steams wool felt into place over a wooden mold.

"Surprisingly physical. You definitely can't do it if you're not fully charged," she said.

Then it has to dry. Next is wiring for shape and finally hemming and what's called a "sweat band" for fit.

It might sound simple, but the whole process can take up to 10 hours. Laura said that's just fine with her.

"When I'm working, time doesn't exist," she said. "I'm so happy. My hands are in it, and they know exactly what to do."

That's how it's done, but how did it all begin?

"I was in kindergarten, and I wanted to staple McDonald's French fry packets onto a dress I have, because I was really angry there weren't pockets on the jumper," she said. "It's kind of just has always been something that I've been fascinated with."

That fascination led her to study fashion at Harper College. She thought she'd design gowns for galas, until she got a really terrible haircut.

"Bought myself some hats, and was just fascinated by the reaction it got from people," she said. "People would just stop you, and I was smitten, and I had to figure out how to make them."

Laura's major career change came with a major personal one.

"I had been working with hat shop in Highland Park for many, many years, and I was getting married, and I decided that was my cue to get my own space," she said.

But something was still missing.

"It wasn't really getting my product out in front of people enough," she said. "So I was doing that, I was teaching hat-making, I was doing some theatrical millinery, I was working with a store, and it was kind of a quilted career, and I felt like I was jack of all trades, master of none."

Then, serendipity.

"Right before COVID happened, I had actually reached out to the Drake," she said. "I had seen there was a milliner who was doing things there quarterly and she was moving out of state, and I reached out and said could we test the water?"

Now she sells her hats at the Drake Hotel about 65 times a year.

"I feel like almost 30 years of doing this, and I have found – I got, like, misty there – I found my home.

Mary Rosales found Laura 20 years ago and is a regular customer.

"They're stylish, and they're just beautiful. Every time I wear them, people will ask me where did you get your hat?" she said.

"I love, love, love when someone finds their hat," Laura said. "That is the coolest feeling. When something you've made finds its person, it's just such a gift."

"My hats get to go to fabulous places. They get to go to weddings, and parties, and just have adventures," she added.

So how should wearing a hat make you feel?

"It should make you feel like the prettiest, most fabulous version of yourself," she said.

Laura said she feels great when she makes hats for people dealing with hair loss caused by cancer or other conditions. She loves helping them feel beautiful.

To learn more about Laura and see more of her work, log onto laurahubka.com.