Image via New York Times
And now, a note from our Fashion Correspondent at London Fashion Week, Camilla Morton:
Stephen Jones’s party at the Victoria and Albert Museum was the party to end all parties. It happened on Monday night, to celebrate the opening of his exhibition, ‘An Anthology of Hats’. Here we are three days later and I still feel high on hats.
As you glided up the steps and into the V&A Museum, you were faced with a sea of hats. Flowers, feathers, colours, and curves swam past and cut into your view like skyscrapers to the shape of Manhattan. The whole of London had come out in their finest to toast the nicest man in fashion. Milliner of the moment Stephen Jones was holding court near the entrance of the exhibition but you only got to him once you had fought through the throngs of Daphne Guinness, YSL’s Valerie Hermann, model Liberty Ross, Peter Blake, Nick and Charlotte Knight, Daisy Lowe, Yasmin and Amber Le Bon and avoided having your eyes poked out by all number of sharp and dangerous head wearing obstacles. You name ‘em, if they were glamorous they were there… and anyone who was anyone was in a hat.
I was in a pink floral creation that matched my pink patent heels. As I entered the dimly lit treasure trove of inspiration and creations I didn’t know where to start. Luckily Manolo threw his arms round me and dragged me straight over to the Cecil Beaton display. Designed by Michael Howells, (who does the sets for Dior and Galliano) it was as if you had stepped into an Aladdin’s Cave of hats, though on opening night, you had double distraction as jostled with a candy store of confections worn by the guests all around, even the barmen! Guests peeked inside the chaotic recreation of Stephen Jones atelier, (above) Anna Piaggi pointed out her favourites to Philip Treacy while everyone took photos of hats on display.
The party carried on well past the allotted closing time – even though the guest of honour had been whisked off to a private dinner – and however bleary-eyed people felt the morning after everyone woke up wondering why they didn’t wear hats more often…
