© Koto Bolofo - Peter Ashworth - Palais Galliera
The Palais Galliera has done it again: the exhibition on the designer Stephen Jones, a great London milliner, occupies the Fashion Museum until March 16, 2025. His extraordinary creations, inspired by French fashion and his collaborations with iconic designers (Dior, Margiela, Mugler), are displayed in a masterful staging. Without any pun intended: we tip our hats to this ultra-chic exhibition that you simply cannot miss.
Luxury Hats
For the first time in 40 years, the Palais Galliera devotes an entire exhibition to one accessory: the hat, here regarded as a work of art and a piece of haute couture in its own right. The exhibition focuses on the work of the milliner (aka hat designer) Stephen Jones. The rooms and their works explore his creative process, his sources of inspiration with a very French touch, and above all, the influence of Paris on his career.
Stephen Jones opened his first boutique in London in 1980, working with prestigious houses such as Gaultier, Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, and Vuitton, contributing to some absolutely iconic haute couture collections. His creations range from bold forms that complement an outfit (like the Madame Février hat from the Fall-Winter 2021-2022 collection) to completely wild silhouettes. Big crush on the Cocteau hat from the Spring-Summer 2010 collection, shaped like a bust of a naked woman, or the Bang! piece from the Fall-Winter 2010-2011 collection, in the form of a hat deconstructed by an explosion!
Paris, Fashion Capital
Little known to the general public, Jones nevertheless holds a central place behind the scenes of fashion, with his hats completing iconic silhouettes since the 80s. According to him, an outfit cannot be finished and perfected without a hat. The exhibition at the Fashion Museum explores in detail his attachment to the City of Light, which has completely transformed his vision of fashion through his many visits. Initially a tourist, then a visitor, and finally a Parisian, the hat designer draws inspiration from Paris for his looks and the universe of his creations. His collections carry very evocative names of Jones' passion for the French city: his Fall-Winter 2021-2022 collection is called French Kiss, and the Fall-Winter 2024-2025 one, A Muse in Paris. His creations pay homage to French culture, the ultra-glamorous figure of the Parisian woman, and the great French couturiers. After all, Paris remains the fashion capital!
The exhibition brings together nearly 400 works, including 170 hats and archival materials like numerous drawings, photos, and even video clips from runway shows. Around forty complete silhouettes bear witness to Jones' loyalty to houses such as Christian Dior, with whom he has collaborated for three decades. This designer has become the most Parisian British milliner, leaving his bold and creative mark on Parisian fashion.
Highlight of this must-see exhibition: the photo booth available at the end of the visit. You can take a photo as a souvenir of this magical experience, but that’s not all. Thanks to generative artificial intelligence, you can immerse yourself in Stephen Jones' world and even try on a hat from his collections!
Stephen Jones. Artists' Hats. At the Palais Galliera, 10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Paris 16th. Until March 16, 2025.
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© Ben Toms - Peter Ashworth - Gautier Deblonde
