IT HAS always been as much about fashion as horses, but milliner Julie Mahan has ensured she will stand out from the crowd when Royal Ascot arrives in York tomorrow.
The Leeds College of Art and Design student has created a hat inspired by Flying Scotsman, complete with nameplate and 4472 number, for when the historic race meeting opens. Julie, who launched her business, Millinery Mayhem, earlier this year, said: "To have the world's most prestigious race event and the world's most famous rail icon together in York was just too good an opportunity to miss. A hat is the perfect finishing touch for any special outfit and I enjoy creating just the right style for the occasion, so it has been wonderful to let my imagination really run away and create something that is great fun, as well as being stunning."
She was one of five students who were invited by the National Railway Museum in York to design a hat for Royal Ascot.
Su Matthewman, head of marketing at the National Railway Museum, said: "We chose Julie's design because she had captured the essence of this legendary locomotive in such a stylish way and, unlike some 'novelty' creations for Ascot, the theme is very clear."
The Flying Scotsman was saved from being sold abroad by a £2.2m campaign involving Yorkshire Post readers and Sir Richard Branson.