The Weird and Wonderful Creations of Stephen Jones

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When is a hat not a hat? When it’s designed by Stephen Jones! Arguably the most talented milliner of our time, Jones is well known within fashion circles, but for those not in those spaces, you may have missed the genius of this mad hatter. So allow me to enlighten you... Stephen Jones OBE is a British milliner who has been working in the fashion industry for 60 years. As one of the original 'Blitz Kids' who frequented the infamous London nightclub of the same name back in the '80s, he spent his formative years as part of the New Romantic movement and was great friends with fashion legend Isabella Blow, designer Jean Paul Gaultier, and artist Grayson Perry. Today, he is renowned for his strikingly avant-garde designs that combine surreal silhouettes with a uniquely British sense of humour and a touch of glamour. He has collaborated with all of the biggest talents in fashion, creating bespoke hats for the catwalks of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Schiaparelli, John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Comme des Garçons, Mugler, and many more. Plus, he has also designed one-of-a-kind creations for performers including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Boy George, Cardi B, and Missy Elliot. The first image in my micro-museum shows the Love Ball hat from Jones' Autumn​/​Winter 2015 Hatsville USA collection. Inspired by Detroit, this hat captures the glamor of the city, which inspired Jones, as it was the birthplace of disco legend Diana Ross. The second hat is called Dream Sequence, and comes from his Fall​/​Winter 2014 collection Garbo Gabo. It is inspired by sculptor Naum Gabo, a key figure in Russia's post-Revolution avant-garde movement. As we move on to hats three and four in the exhibit, we really see Jones' whimsical side in full force. These creations are as outlandish as they are playful. The gold eyelash mask known as 'Fashion Plate' is barely a hat at all, and the jam sandwich hat made for 2017​/​2018 Schiaparelli is brilliantly bonkers. Sculptural silhouettes are one of Stephen Jones' specialities. I've chosen two of my favourites here, another brilliant piece from the Hatsville USA collection, and the Cork St hat. Made from brilliant blue nylon, this is from the Millinery Computer Autumn​/​Winter 1998 collection, but it is extremely hard to find out more about its history. If anyone can share further information on the inspirations behind this collection, and why this particular hat is named Cork St, I would love to connect. Jones' hats are often radical but never random. 69 Beret on first glance seems to just be a cheeky take on French fashion, but it is, in fact, a tribute to the Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements signed by France and the United Kingdom in 1904. Above all else, Stephen Jones' creations, to me, symbolise timeless glamour. The final two pieces in my museum, the Grandiflora hat from the spring​/​summer 2014 Carte Blanche collection and the Sikkim hat from the Autumn​/​Winter 2017 Shangri La collection, highlight the beauty and intricacies that can be found in his work, but I urge you to further explore his archives for yourself. There is endless wonder to be found! “If you put a hat on, you can get away with murder. Automatically you look chic, elegant, dramatic - even if you’re wearing an old pair of jeans and a T-shirt.” - Stephen Jones told the Sunday Times Style 2025, and I couldn't agree more.