In an age of mass-produced clothing, craftsmanship is often left by the wayside.
Consumers tend to favour readily available, inexpensive clothing as opposed to luxury one-off pieces, due in part to the inflated cost of living and rising price tags of designer fashion.
However, this isn’t the full picture. Crafts such as knitting, crochet and embroidery have permeated TikTok, and emerging designers are going viral, leading a stream of sold-out wares in their wake.
Millinery is another unsung hero of the crafts sphere. The art of hat-making may appear antiquated, but in reality, it’s anything but. Often associated with royalty, millinery is an age-old craft that dates back to the Victorian era. The practice benefitted from 19th century industrialisation and improved technology, with hats becoming easier to create which ultimately led them to be sold as ready-to-wear pieces in popular department stores.
And they stayed there ever since. A leisurely bumble around Harrods will reveal a plethora of beautiful, unique hats designed by the best in business. Rachel Trevor Morgan, Emily London and Siggi to name a few.
Millinery has also slotted neatly into the world of high fashion. Perhaps due to its penchant for the whimsical, hat-making goes hand-in-hand with avant-garde designer fashion. Stephen Jones OBE collaborated with Vivienne Westwood and Dior on multiple occasions, crafting decadent designs such as the SJ Headdres for Dior spring couture 1998. Likewise, Philip Treacy conjured up his iconic ‘Butterfly Hat’ for Alexander McQueen’s La Dame Bleue spring/summer 2008 collection. Hats provided focal points for each runway show.
Parking images of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie’s divisive headpieces at the 2011 Royal Wedding, hats are surprisingly contemporary accessories. They may have a withstanding association with the royal family, particularly Princess Diana and the current Princess of Wales, but hats are sustainable by nature - making them very much on-trend.
Think about it - nobody ever throws a hat away. Hats are passed down through generations, be it your grandfather’s top hat or mother’s fascinator. They use very little material to create compared to clothing and carry a sentimental value that can’t be replicated. Milliners often start out their careers using old trimmings and deadstock fabrics to make hats, making the outcomes fabulous works of upcycling.
They may be expensive items to buy, but hats are cherishable timepieces to be kept in the family for years to come.
How do I choose the right hat?
There are multiple boxes you have to tick before signing off on the perfect hat.
- Occasion: consider the occasion for which you will sport your hat. Does the event have a dress code? Will you be mingling with crowds? If this is the case, then a smaller hat will be more convenient for conversing with others.
- Style: have a good think about what suits you. Do you want to look chic yet subtle, or be a fantastical focal point of the party? Consider whether you want a larger or smaller hat and what colour. If you wear glasses, be sure to factor your frames into the equation to avoid crowding around your face.
Without further ado, we welcome you into the wonderful world of hats. Read on to discover the best milliners to know about for some sensational designs.
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Maison Michel
Maison Michel is a Parisian hatmaker which has been operating since 1936. The brand is renowned for its handcrafted designs and is now owned by the House of Chanel - a testament to its prestige. The New Bonnie Veil Beret is coated with a smooth fur felt and adorned with a gothic lace veil that cascades across the face for a dramatic effect.
Buy now £495.00, Harrods
Eliurpi
Spanish label Eliurpi offers a range of beautifully tactile designs. The brand is based in Barcelona and creates highly romantic, rustic headwear that wouldn’t look out of place in a Degas painting. The Wood Art Fascinator is one of many that tickled out fancy - featuring a thin wide brim and crisscrossing ribbons that streamline the neck.
Buy now £700.00, Harrods
Rachel Trevor-Morgan
Allow your hat to take centre stage. Rachel Trevor-Morgan, a British milliner, has conjured up an array of fanciful pieces that ooze personality. The Ostrich Feather Pillbox Hat exudes girlish glamour and flapper girl sentiment.
Buy now £1050.00, Harrods
Emily London
Emily London comes royal-approved. The brand is beloved by the Royal Family, with British royals frequently sporting Emily London designs to the races such as Ascot. Designed by Emily Baxendale, each piece is carefully crafted in the London studio. The Lorelia Headband is an angelic take on the feminine headpiece and showcases dainty blossoms twisting across the frame.
Buy now £845.00, Harrods
Siggi
Siggi has been part of the British millinery establishment for approximately 40 years. The designer has built a glittering clientele spanning royals to socialites, plus has been the official milliner for Royal Ascot for three consecutive years. Siggi’s Floral Father-Trim Fascinator is an elegant construction crafted from dreamy pastels and wafer-like layers of refined, ethereal fabrics.
Buy now £1000.00, Harrods
Justin Smith
What’s not to love about having an orchid spring from your head? Justin Smith’s exquisite creations have been sported by stars of the silver screen such as Elle Fanning and Angelina Jolie. Featured in period shows such as The Gilded Age and The Great, Smith’s works are decadent timepieces to covet. This orchid-shaped number is made from layers of silk and wrapped quill with a stream of encrusted sequins.
Buy now, Harrods
Victoria Grant
Head-turning glamour is always on the aesthetic menu for Victoria Grant. The British milliner curates pieces designed to take centre stage. She’s worked with names such as Isabel Marant and Dolce & Gabbana and is an esteemed member of the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective. The Crystal-Detail Feather Fascinated adopts a monochrome colour palette with a sprinkling of punkish attitude.
Buy now £829.01, Harrods
Stephen Jones Millinery
Along with Philip Treacy, Stephen Jones OBE is the crème de la crème of the millinery world. Jones is considered one of the most iconic milliners of the 20th and 21st centuries and has dressed stars from Princess Diana to Boy George, Rihanna to the current Princess of Wales. Poise adopts a traditional silhouette adorned with a cascade of black lace for a touch of gothic glamour.
Buy now £1860.00, Stephen Jones Millinery
Philip Treacy
Venerated milliner Philip Treacy is celebrated for his innovative headpieces. The Irish designer has worked across the board, from dressing 90s supermodels Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista for various Vogue covers to designing the Beauxbatons hat for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005. This beautiful turquoise number curves elegantly around the face, creating a showstopping moment suitable for evening soirees or black-tie bashes.
To purchase online for delivery, please enquire online.
Buy now, Philip Treacy
