By Marriam N Mossalli

Christian Louboutin heels: £901.Bottega Veneta clutch: £2,358.
Stella McCartney blazer & pantsuit: £1388.A Philip Treacy fascinator to top it all off: £2,500.

Looking ultra-chic and sublime at the GCC Polo Cup: Priceless.

It may seem crazy to some to spend £2,500 on a hat, but these aren’t just your run-of-the-mill toppers. These creations are pieces of art handcrafted by Britian’s most talented hands. Philip Treacy. Stephen Jones. Rachel Trevor-Morgan. Freddy Fox. Philip Somerville. These names have become synonymous with high fashion.

Philip Treacy design

 Gabrille “Coco” Chanel made her mark as a milliner before venturing out into jersey ready-to-wear. Her designs crossed social boundaries as both high society elite and the social circles surrounding Parisian theatre highly coveted them. While the importance of headgear has its chapter in every cultures history, the significance of decadent headgear has a long heritage deeply rooted in Britain’s past. In fact, the British tradition of wearing hats to most formal occasions is often credited to Queen Elizabeth I. In 1571, during her rule, a law was created that mandated that anyone over the age of seven must wear a hat on Sundays.

Stephen Jones for  Christian Dior

Today, while no longer a formal law, there are still some events that seem to implement an unofficial hat dress code, including horse races, garden parties, and even weddings.  The Queen, herself, has worn about 5,000 different hats over the past 50 years. The Victoria & Albert Museum even dedicated an entire exhibition, appropriately entitled, Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones as the first major retrospective of the fashion accessory.

At the beginning of the 20th century, individual milliners began transforming the simple hat shop into an exclusive space that enhanced their signature styles, much in the same fashion as haute couture ateliers.  According to the V&A, traditionally a good saloniste offered advice, recommending turban styles for those with large noses or advising asymmetric styles to slim a wide face. However, the cardinal rule of hat-buying, as French fashion editor Genevieve Dariaux noted, is to “take the one you fall in love with, which mysteriously does something for you, which magically makes you feel more beautiful.” Today, women from all styles and aesthetics are getting their hands on bespoke works of art, including the Duchess of Cambridge, pop culture icon Lady Gaga, and the sophisticated attendees of Ascot.
Louis Mariette. Noel Stewart. Gina Foster. The British fashion is filled with talents, who think out of the box and onto the head in terms of design. But in the end, it’s the wearer who breathes life into the piece. The headdress is an extension of the wearer’s personality, it is the cherry on top.

Make sure you pick up your fascinator before heading off to the polo matches!

Here is a list of some of the chicest and avant-garde millineries available in the UK.

Stephen Jones Milliner

Stephen Jones Millinery
Stephen Jones is milliner-rock-royalty and for good reason. Since the seventies, he has been loved just as much by the Royal family and the fashion world, as he is by superstars and celebrities. His done collaborations with some of the most prominent fashion houses and designers of our time, including Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Thierry Mugler, Christian Dior, John Galliano, Comme des Garçons and Marc Jacobs. He designs hats for couturiers and celebrities, including Vivienne Westwood, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Madonna, and Dita Von Teese.

Stephen Jones Millinery
36 Great Queen Street
Covent Garden
London WC2B 5AA
+44 (0)20 7242 0770
www.stephenjonesmillinery.com

Rachel Trevor-Morgan

Rachel Trevor-Morgan
The Royals have taste, that’s for sure. Milliner Rachel Trevor-Morgan’s award-winning hats and headpieces are a particular favorite of the Queen and other Royal family members. Having worked alongside major fashion designers, Trevor-Morgan’s is all high fashion, with surprisingly affordable price tags attached.  All her hats, headpieces and bridal couture pieces are handcrafted and start at £90.

Rachel Trevor-Morgan
18 Crown Passage
King Street, St James’s
London SW1Y 6PP

+44 (0)207 839 8927
info@RachelTrevorMorgan.com
www.racheltrevormorgan.com

Jane Taylor Millinery
Jane Taylor Millinery is for the classic fashionista, who would love nothing more than to be decorated in vintage feathers, veiling, lace, gems and antique adornments. Loved by both the music industry and fashion world, Jane Taylor creates almost theatrical hats, bridal fascinators and headwear from her studio in southwest London.

Jane Taloyr Millinery
3 Filmer Mews
75 Filmer Road, Fulham, SW6 7JF

0208 392 2333
www.janetaylormillinery.com’

Pip Hackett

Pip Hackett
Luckily for us last-minute packers, Pip Hackett’s gorgeous hats are sold in exclusive stores such as Harrods, Liberty and Harvey Nichols.  She also creates exclusive, bespoke milliner for private clients, like the commissioned Barbie design she did for Elton John’s AIDS foundation.

Stephen Jones Millinery
Studio 54, Great Western Studios
65 Alfred Road,
London W2 5EU +44 (0)20 7266 4667
www.piphackett.co.uk