Dior Hats

Under the direction of the renowned milliner Stephen Jones, who has been working with Dior since 1996, this book explores Dior's relationship with the art and craft of creating hats. Christian Dior himself, who began his career by designing headpieces, wrote in his Little Dictionary of Fashion: "A hat is essential to any outfit. It completes it. In a way, a hat is the best way to express your personality."

Published on the occasion of the 2020 exhibition at the Musee Christian Dior in Granville, France, this sophisticated illustrated volume celebrates more than 70 years of exquisite creations. Opening with a focus on hats designed by the legendary couturier Christian Dior, the book develops to include the headdress created by the house over the years, exploring its pieces by styles, shapes, and inspirations - from floral and exotic to masculine, traditional, or romantic. Dior hats have always been expressions of sophistication, from the first millineries that were part of the New Look silhouette, to the Venetian masks imagined by Yves Saint Laurent, the exquisite toques by Marc Bohan, the dramatic boaters by Gianfranco Ferre, the flamboyant and extravagant realisations by John Galliano, the graphic neck bow by Raf Simons, and the romantic designs by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Stephen Jones reviews such fashion history and reflects on his prolific relationship with the house.

His insightful texts are accompanied by contributions by fashion specialists Alexander Fury, Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni, and Florence Mu ller, and enlivened by drawings and photographs from Dior's archives, shots by the most famed fashion photographers of the last decades, such as Richard Avedon, Erwin Blumenfeld, Mario Testino, and special, never-before-published images by Solve Sundsbo.

About the Author

One of the most famous and radical milliners, Stephen Jones has been collaborating with Dior for more than twenty years and co-curated the exhibition Hats: An Anthology at the V&A Museum in 2009. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010.