Report by David Hayes

Bunting, big hats, tea cups and even a speech from the Mayor; the grand opening of London Fashion Week was less Mad Hatter’s tea party and more like the ribbon cutting at a very chic village fete, with flutes of champagne and even a guest appearance from the one and only Joan Collins. 

“Darling, of course I’m here for the hats,” said Joan, as she swished into the Headonism show in a tight pencil skirt teamed with one of her own grey leopard-print satin numbers, topped off with a jaunty straw trilby she had picked up in New York. 

Put together by the patron saint of British milliners, Stephen Jones, Headonism showcased five of the hottest London-based hat designers around today: Piers Atkinson, Soren Bach, Shilpa Chavan, Justin Smith and Noel Stewart. 

“When people think of Britain, they still think of the Royal Family and hats,” said Jones. “I met most of these young designers when I put together my exhibition at the V&A. There was nothing like this back when I started 25 years ago, so it was a great opportunity to give these new designers a voice.”

And the hats? A crazy mix of shiny outsized cherries, intricate crochet work, strung-together tin bangles, tinsel, Perspex cut-out trees and painted muscle shells. Not all on the same hat, of course; now that would be silly.   

Working out whose hat was whose was a little tricky as the models stepped up on the revolving stage designed by Dior set designer Michael Howells in a rather haphazard order. The presentation certainly set the tone for the week: beautifully crafted designs, crazy talent and a good dose of British charm.

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