best british MILLINERS

| BY FELICITY CARTER Photos courtesy of each brand

Theart of millinery has a rich and distinguished history. After all, hats have been worn for thousands of years, developing from practical uses to transcending into the fashion industry. It was during the 18th century when millinery first became a profession, the word deriving from ‘Milan’—a city that had textiles in abundance and established itself as the center of fashion where fashionable ladies would collate to have their special headwear creations made (while hatters were reserved for gentlemen).

A hub for milliners, the UK dons some of the most talented makers, and of course, there are plenty of events to wear them to, Royal Ascot being a famous example. Here, the late Queen Elizabeth showcased her headwear from 1946 and continued to do so every year; the 1980s saw the likes of Princess Diana don her statement hats, along with international royalty and the fashionable. A staple of the social season, beautifully made headwear can also be seen on celebrities; cue Lady Gaga right through to the catwalk of leading fashion houses.

Stephen Jones Millinery

Think British milliner and think Stephen Jones. After studying at London’s famous St Martins in the ‘70s, he’d find himself in the legendary Blitz nightclub, where the fun and the fabulous would congregate. And, of course, he’d wear one of his head-turning creations. By 1980 he had opened his debut millinery salon in Covent Garden, which was frequented by everyone from rock stars to royalty, including Boy George to Diana and Princess of Wales, and from then on, he established himself as the milliner to be seen in.

Artist, futuristic, interesting, and intriguing in design, his pieces are also defined by exquisite craftsmanship. This stylish amalgamation has seen him continue to attract a celebrity clientele that includes Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, and British and international royalty. Along the way, he’s also collaborated with leading designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Thom Browne, and Christian Dior, where Jones’ hats have been an integral element in some of the most notable runway scenes of the past quarter century.

Adding to his work’s immensely artistic and creative nature, 2009 saw Jones curate the popular exhibition ‘Hats, an Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. You will also find that his hats were collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre in Paris.

Wearing a Stephen Jones piece offers a stylish statement, popular amongst women around the world, whether on a runway, at the races, or a garden party—his creations suit a range of social events and certainly give the wow factor.

NOEL STEWART Millinery

A former assistant of Stephen Jones OBE, this British milliner was trained by the best, and it shows. Since setting up his label in 2003, he’s collaborated with the who’s who in luxury fashion, from Mulberry, Roksanda, and Erdem, to Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, JW Anderson, Hermes, Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy Haute Couture, Valentino, and the list continues.

It’s not only the fashion houses that love his oh-so-cool, contemporary designs (with a touch of the classic); Stewart has built up a loyal clientele base over the years that includes Victoria Beckham, Carey Mulligan, Cara Delevingne, Sharon Stone, Keira Knightly, Lady Gaga, and Kylie Minogue. In addition, he’s worked with leading costume designers such as Alexandra Byrne for the big screen, cue Murder on the Orient Express, crafting pieces for Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Penelope Cruz, Lucy Boynton, and Olivia Coleman. Then onto Mary Queen of Scots, where he created headwear for lead actress Saoirse Ronan.

The accolades have followed over the years: he was named Accessory Designer of the Year by UKFT, was a finalist for Design of the Year at The Design Museum for his iconic JW Anderson hat, and The Design Museum selected Noel’s Ribboned Cityscape Hat to feature in the book, ‘50 Hats That Changed the World’. To top it off, he was also included in the V&A’s exhibition, Stephen Jones—An Anthology of Hats which opened to record visitors in London and Brisbane before opening at the Bard Graduate Center in New York.

Noel also holds the position of the founding member of the reformed British Hat Guild, spearheaded by Stephen Jones. He is a co-curator of the London Craft Weeks millinery program. He has been included in The Business of Fashions 500— an index of fashion creatives who are shaping the industry.

Alexandra Harper Millinery London

Following formal millinery training in Australia, Alexandra launched her namesake label, Alexandra Harper Millinery London, and is now based in the UK. Known for merging technical expertise, innovation, craftsmanship, and creative know-how, this milliner produces luxury headwear that exudes a playful-meets-pioneering style, and there’s individuality aplenty.

Based in London and Buckinghamshire—and a member of the British Hat Guild— expect statement hats, headpieces, and bridal headwear made by hand, using only the finest quality, sustainable materials.

Where classic meets modernity, there are a whole host of styles from the traditional pillbox shape that has been brought up to date with detailing such as leather blooms and crinoline swirls to exude an artistically abstract piece. Then there are the uniquely shaped, colorful headpieces, intricate headbands, and wide-brimmed boaters.

Awon Golding

London-based milliner Awon Golding is known for her super luxurious and playful headpieces for contemporary women. A woman with a multicultural background, British-Indian born and raised in Hong Kong, she draws on these influences to offer uniquely creative pieces, whether they’re Royal Ascot hats, headpieces, fascinators, or gorgeous made-toorder wedding numbers.

Having established her own brand in 2013, only a year later, Stephen Jones selected her to showcase her talent for two seasons as part of Headonism, a platform for emerging milliners at London Fashion Week, and four years later, she was on BBC 2’s prime time show, Handmade in Britain as the millinery expert. Garnering further acclaim, Awon built up her client base, including Lady Gaga, Dita Von Teese, Kylie Minogue, and Priyanka Chopra, all wanting in on her berets, boaters, showstoppers, sun hats, and veils. All of which are handmade in her London studio.

In 2019, she developed her name in the game further as she was appointed Head Millinery Designer at Lock & Co Hatters, the world’s oldest hat shop, where she designs two seasonal couture collections. Her co-branded collection, Lock Couture by Awon Golding, can be found on their website and in their Grade II* listed building store in St. James’s.

Vivien Sheriff

The home of original, undeniably British, luxury headwear, Vivien Sheriff offers contemporary millinery from her Wiltshire studio. Nodding to the beautiful English countryside, it’s proven to be a constant source of inspiration to Sheriff, made evident through her color palette, and detailing from sculpted feathers to flowers. Those mentioned above, combined with luxurious craftsmanship and expertise, pieces are handmade over the course of weeks to bring about these extraordinary creations. It wouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that her impressive client roster includes prominent British Royal Family members.

Rachel Trevor-Morgan

The Rachel Trevor-Morgan atelier is nestled with the historic area of St James’s London. Here, they promise the ultimate couture millinery service tailoring their creations to the outfit, personality, and occasion. After all, they have over 30 years of experience in the world of millinery, a Royal Warrant, and have worked with London’s leading designers.

Proudly and to exacting standards, every piece, whether a hat or headdress, is made by hand from start to finish in their workroom. The shapes are hand-blocked, and their intricate flowers are skilfully made, with petals dyed, cut, and shaped by hand to ensure a truly bespoke piece.