The Hats of Stephen Jones

The Hats of Stephen Jones presents a selection of eight hats designed by contemporary British milliner Stephen Jones. Interspersed throughout the Museum's collection, the installation reveals a novel approach to connecting art and contemporary fashion. 

Installed in galleries ranging from Impressionism to 19th-century decorative arts to African art, Jones's hats are displayed in dialogue with select works in the collection to create provocative conversations across time. The fascinating range of hats includes designs made from a wide variety of materials, such as plumes, artificial flowers, and silks. The installation also complements the main exhibition Degas, Impressionism and the Paris Millinery Trade.

Jones rose to prominence in the London fashion scene in the late 1970s. By 1980, he had opened his first millinery salon in London's Covent Garden. His avant-garde designs also engage closely with artistic tradition and have long been popular with everyone from rock stars to royalty, including Boy George and Diana, Princess of Wales. 

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website