Stephen Jones - Chapeaux Artiste, Palais Galleria

 

Yesterday 

I went to the preview of British hat artist, 

Stephen Jones at Palais Galleria.

This is probably the HOT 🔥 (fashion) show of the Fall season.

400 works in the exhibition - Jone’s famous red wool beret for Lady Diana.

Including more than 170 hats.

As a young boy Stephen Jones was mad about Paris after trips with his family to France 🇫🇷 - his sequin beret topped with an Eiffel Tower. 

The exhibition focuses on Jones close ties with French Couture 🧵 

He collaborated with designers Christian Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, 

Thierry Mugler, Comme des Garçons, Louis Vuitton, Claude Montana etc. I really wish the Palais Galleria did not insist on placing black pieces agains black walls 🙏 Is this a French thing? 🫤 MAD/musee des arts décoratifs does it too. Making it difficult to photograph 📷

A room midway in the exhibition illustrates with window boxes

Jones’ brilliant creative process from research 

To first sketches. LOVE ❤️ this hat made of sketches ✍️

To first fabrics to first shapes 

To the final creation. This room alone is worth the price of admission. 

Plus the video in Fr/Eng as Jones creates a special occasion hat for a demanding client. He says,“The British want Frenchy hats and the French want British styled hats!”

There is always lightness, wit and whimsy to Jones’ hats like this triple Mad Hatter hat 🎩 

The UK celebrates 🎉 designer Jones with a special stamp.

I haven’t begun to show what’s in this exhibition. I hope you get to visit the Palais Galleria - on till March 3, 2025.

I left the Galleria a tad blitzed in the drizzle…so much to take in

Across the street - patisserie Cyril Lignac. 

All I could think was hats, hats, hats. The shapes are too perfect non? Bonne Vendredi dear PBers 🎩 👒 🧢