Stephen Jones spearheaded the revival of British millinery in early 1980s fashion. Using radical materials and designs that ranged from refined to whimsical, his exquisitely crafted hats encapsulated a modern and compelling mood. Today Jones’s era-defining edge continues to attract a celebrity clientele with Marilyn Manson, Kylie, Dita von Teese and Gwen Stefani all donning his hats. The roll-call of fashion designers with whom he has collaborated includes Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano for Dior, Marc Jacobs, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Giles Deacon.

 

Hats: An Anthology offers an unprecedented view of the world of millinery, drawing on the V&A’s extensive collection of hats, Stephen Jones’s own archive and iconic headgear from around the globe. Beautifully illustrated chapters examine the inspiration behind the creation of hats, the history of their construction, the lure of the hat shop and finally the etiquette and occasion of hat wearing for the client.

Stephen Jones's work is represented in the permanent collections of the V&A, the Louvre (Paris), The Fashion Institute of Technology and the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (both New York), the Kyoto Costume Institute, and the Australian National Gallery (Canberra). Oriole Cullen is the V&A curator of ‘Fashion In Motion’ and Modern Textiles and Fashion.