David Shilling is synonymous with style and sophistication in the fashion and design world. Internationally acclaimed for producing memorable hats for Ascot and other functions David is one of the most influential milliners and designers in Britain today. Stars wearing David Shillng's creations include: Racquel Welch, Kylie Minogue, Shirley Bassey, Cybill Shepherd, Joanna Lumley, Lauren Hutton and Chrissie Hinde. David's hats have been photographed by Sir Cecil Beaton, David Bailey, Lord Litchfield, Lord Snowdon, Norman Parkinson, and Mario Testino.

David Shilling is credited with reviving hats world-wide in the late twentieth century and his hats have been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world and are in the permanent collections of Museums ; including: - The Metropolitan, New York; Los Angeles County Museum; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Musee de L'art Decoratif, Paris.

          

Most recent shows include: - Aussi Rouge que Possible, Musee des Arts Decoratif, Paris (the Louvre) 19/03/2008 to 03/01/2010. In 2007 David Shilling 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. A hat with diamonds created by David in the late 1970s was nominated by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive hat in the world in the 21st century. David Shilling is now a respected Fine Artist, and is represented by the Redfern Gallery in Cork Street, London and Ferrero Gallery, Nice.
In 1998 his designs for theatre, opera, ballet, film and TV formed an exhibition at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  In 1994 David was 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' rebranding of Britain.

In 1990 he headed a mission for the United Nations in Ecuador which was hugely successful and led to other projects as an art and design ambassador with the UN in Africa and Asia.

David 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.

In 1988, the USSR invited Shilling to show his hats during the first Miss CCCP Pageant in Moscow, the first live TV broadcast throughout the USSR, which was allegedly viewed by 200 million.

David's exhibition "David Shilling - The Hats" made an appearance at the Ulster Museum during the tour of the UK; the exhibition was allegedly more popular than the museum's Rodin exhibition.

His first collection was purchased in America by Bloomingdale's and other stores began selling his creations soon after. In the late 1970s one business, called Bergdorf's, charged up to $3000 for hats created by David Shilling.

David began to design hats and outfits at the age of twelve for his mother, Gertrude, until she died in 1999.The hats were designed for Gertrude to wear to the Ascot horse races. At the age of thirteen he began selling toys to his local toyshop, before moving on to sell clothing accessories like scarves to major retailers (for example Fenwick's, Fortnum and Mason's, and Liberty). He left St Paul's school with the decision to pursue design.

His charitable works include:

• Designing the logo for Consortium for Street Children

• Organising a millinery course in H.M. Prison The Mount

• Being on the British 'Number One' record "You’ll never Walk Alone"

• Supporting The Stroke Association, Action on Addiction and the Jewish Deaf Association

• Work on behalf of children in Brazil, India, the Philippines