Our Favourite Stephen Jones Runway Moments
There are few people in fashion who can truly make us look at fashion beyond clothing. Milliner maestro Stephen Jones has literally done that. He's forced to turn to pay attention to hats — and how can we not? With a prolific career spanning 40 years, we now think of him first when someone mentions hats.
His first piece was aptly created on his 20th birthday, in 1977. Made out of old blouses, plastic irises and a cornflake box, even then, he's already mastered the art of transforming ordinary items into the extraordinary. It's only natural that he proceeded to work with the world's most inventive materials and the most prestigious of fashion houses. His frequent collaborators include Jean Paul Gaultier, Comme des Garçons, Giles Deacon and Thom Browne.
Below are our favourites.
Photo: Stephen Jones' first hat, 1977 — Photo: IG @stephenjonesmillinery
Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs had been creative director for 12 years, so he had to leave with a bang. Jacobs staged a beautiful swansong (a fashion funeral, we say) for SS14 with an all-black collection... with a bit of denim, here and there... and all the models sporting the amazing, explosive headdress. The set was an incredible, large-scale medley of all the sets he's built for Louis Vuitton shows. A naked Edie Campbell opened the show — she only had Stephen Sprouse typography, a G-string, crystal chains and, of course, the headpiece for modesty. It's an unforgettable moment that we're seeing less and less nowadays. Va va voom!
Marc Jacobs
For his eponymous label, the designer cited Andre 3000 as an important inspiration for the Fall/Winter 2017 collection. Jones delivered a multitude of super-cool oversized hats, which the musician often sported. The show celebrated street culture — hence it being presented in the streets, hence the casting, hence the tracksuits, hence the Isaac Hayes. We love love love these since it's so wearable, has plenty of character, and can easily elevate all your outfits. It's quintessentially now.
Dior
Flowers for spring? In this case, pretty groundbreaking. Stephen Jones gave us floral fantasies for Maria Grazia Chiuri's first couture collection at Dior during the SS17 season. But it wasn't all just foliage, Jones also created insect-shaped numbers and incorporated feathers for the garden-themed show. Sure it's super feminine, but hey, a girl can have her sweet dreams. It's simple, just like the best things in life are.
Photo: Morgan O' Donovan for Dior Haute Couture SS17, backstage.
