| Hat off to Stephen Jones |
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| Written by Solange | |||||
| Friday, 01 May 2009 17:45 | |||||
 LONDON The collaboration between the V&A and one of the world's most famous milliner brings us what is possibly the most exciting, inspiring, fun, art exhibition in London at the moment: Hats: An anthology by Stephen Jones If there was any doubt that millinery is an art, this gorgeous anthology settles the matter once and for all. Stephen Jones' show follows the life cycle of hats creation from inspiration through to the clients' head.
“a hat begins life as an idea in the mind of the milliner. It can be inspired by a vague perception. A sound, a scent or a solid object.” The first section of the exhibition explores “inspiration”, it is only fitted that London takes pride place in this show case. In many ways London is the hat capital of the world. From the Guards' helmets at Buckingham Palace via a “to die for” Route- master's (London's open deck red bus controller) cap revamped and knitted by Stephen Jones to your typical London's plastic souvenir hat. History is another source of inspiration, tricornes, bicornes, top hats and bonnets are on display with a moving tribute to love as Prince Albert's top hat and Queen Victoria's coral bonnet are displayed side by side. Over 300 hats allows to sweep history internationally. We can see similarities, for example: the antiquity is represented with an Egyptian funeral mask, a stern Anubis head, when the modern age cabinet displays a wooden egg helmet created by Hussein Chalayan in 1998. Inspiration, sometimes comes from unexpected quarters, geometry can be a source of creativity. I feel in love with one of the cutest beige little silk spiral created in 1962 by Balenciaga. In a true eclectic spirit which characterise this exhibition, this delicate object is displayed next to a rather extraordinary Swarovski crystal-encrusted cube-shaped hat created by Nasir Mazhar in 2008, a typical cat-walk accessory, not exactly practical for every-day outing. The second section is entitled “creation”. It is where materials are highlighted, this is the section where we marvel but also learn. How is a hat made? The answer is in the millinery workroom. In 1880 millinery was a bigger business than clothes. Methods, materials and tools have changed little in the past hundred years. Straws, felt and fabrics remain the key materials. On display is a feathers brim hat from 1700 which looks as fresh now as it did 3 centuries ago. If tradition continues there are also innovations, Stephen Jones “wash and go cap” for example was created from a sheet of semi-flexible plastic which the artist melted with a paint blow torch.
“The salon and Clients” These days, hats are rarely seen, except on special occasions or perched on the heads of dedicated fashionistas such as Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, France's first lady or Sarah Jessica Parker. When the later came to London for the première of "Sex and the City"; she wore a fabulous foot high Philip Treacy's creation with a garden theme. An acorn cap base which featured flowers and butterflies, peacock, chicken, goose and turkey feathers! This rather incredible creation is for all to see in the famous clients' cabinet. Indeed one third of the chapeaux on displays are from private collections, one third from the V&A archives, the rest from Stephen Jone's own. All around the exhibition, they are screens showing newsreels reminding us, if needs be how much we have moved on, culturally and socially. In one of them, a lady tries a hat on, while a metallic voice says something like : “the only problem a woman has is to choose the right hat in order to look pretty while her husband foots the bill.” There is also a very interesting interviews with the man himself. Stephen Jones talks about his own beginnings when he graduated from St Martin's School of Art in 1979. His inspiration for this exhibition which goes way back to 1971 the first fashion show at the V&A Fashion: An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. His sense of thrill when collaborating with many leading fashion designers including Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs and John Galliano for Christian Dior and many more. If there is only one criticism to this well worth-seeing exhibition, it might be the setting: made to look like a Baroque garden, in dark grey tones and extremely deemed lighting. The setting does not enhance this spectacular collection on the contrary it makes it a little oppressing, despite quiet an uplifting background music.
The Museum has a shop supports the exhibition, naturally hats can be found: starting with the paper variety, through to an ingenious build-your own hat which includes all the elements you need to create your own prêt-a-porter, right up to première collections from Stephen Jones, Philip Treacy and Noel Stewart. pictures: courtesy of the V&A press office Christian Dior's arrow hat worn by dancer Margo Fonteyn silk and straw bonnet dated 1803 Nasir Mazhar for Gareth Pugh Spring Summer 2008, courtesy of Chris Moore/Catwalking.com Sephen Jones creation: wash and go Agyness Deyn -comme des garçons- Bookmark us: 
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| Last Updated on Wednesday, 05 August 2009 08:25 |
