The Hatwalk, a new initiative from the Mayor of Londons office in honour of the London 2012 Games, unites the talents of Stephen Jones,Victoria Grant,Piers Atkinson and 18 other milliners.
Their brief? To create eye-catching new headwear for London landmarks, including Nelsons Column in Trafalgar Square, Queen Victoria on Blackfriars Bridge and William Shakespeare in Leicester Square.
The rest of the world sees hats as an innately British thing so this is a great celebration of that, our eccentricity and our talent for millinery, Jones told the Telegraph.
So it is that the mounted sculpture of King George IV in Trafalgar Square wears Joness creation, a gilded onion dome of a hat with echoes of the monarchs Brighton Pavilionplus a matching topper for Georges horse. Lord Nelson wears Sylvia Fletcher and Lock & Cos Union Jack-covered bicorn hat, with an Olympic torch in place of a feather. Philip Treacy created a giant version of his mirrored saucer hat for the sculpture of General Sir Henry Havelock, also in Trafalgar Square.
Grant designed a red tasselled hat for The Lady on Victoria Embankment, and Atkinson drew inspiration from a traffic conebut one trimmed with a pigeon wearing his trademark cherries.
It is a complete honour to be involved, both to be included with 20 other GREAT milliners, but also because it is
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Unknown
Lord Nelson in Sylvia Fletcher and Lock & Co’s Union Jack-covered bicorn hat
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
2
Unknown
The Sir Henry Havelock sculpture in Trafalgar Square, wearing a hat by Philip Treacy
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3
Unknown
Stephen Jones's crowns on the mounted sculpture of King George IV in Trafalgar Square
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4
Unknown
Piers Atkinson's Hatwalk contribution, on the sculpture of Francis, Duke of Bedford in Russell Square
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5
Unknown
The sculpture of Franklin Roosevelt on Bond Street, in John Boyd's design
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
6
Unknown
Edwina Ibbotson's hat on the sculpture of Captain John Smith at Cheapside
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Unknown
The House of Flora's hat on the Duke of Wellington sculpture
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
8
Unknown
Sophie Beale's hat on Charles James Napier
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9
Unknown
Sir Arthur Sullivan on the Embankment, in Gina Foster's hat