News

OL Stephen Jones (1975)

Posted 04/02/09

OL Stephen Jones (1975), maestro milliner, puts together an exhibition of head turning hats at the V&A's Porter Gallery.Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones opens on 24th February and runs until 10th May 2009.

The exhibition will display more that 300 hats ranging from an Egyptian Anubis mask dating from 600BC to a variety of top hats, berets and a child's plastic tiara.

Having left Liverpool College in 1975, Jones enrolled on a fashion degree at St Martins College in London where he discovered a flair for millinery. "My sewing was absolutely appalling so I knew I wasn't going to be the best of tailors," he recalls. "But one day I noticed the millinery workroom next door to the tailoring room and I thought they all looked like they were having a whale of a time, so I asked to be transferred."

A year after graduating in1979, Jones opened his first millinery salon and began making hats for Zandra Rhodes and Jasper Conran. His work has since adorned everyone from Diana Princess of Wales to Madonna. His creations have made friends with some famous faces. Nicole Kidman, Beyonce, Boy George are all devotees, as is Kyle Minogue - he created the head dresses for her 'Show Girl' tour.

In 2001, Her Majesty's profile appeared above a model's silhouette wearing one of Jones's creations on a 45p stamp to mark Royal Ascot

Jones is set to receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at next week's British Fashion "Oscars" ceremony.

With the exhibition and this week's award, could a retirement be on the cards?

"Gosh, no, every day still feels like the first day for me," he says, donning his cap. "The best is yet to come."

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