Stephen Jones

Forever iconic and unfalteringly British, Stephen Jones OBE entered the London fashion scene during the explosive late ’70s. A student by day, Jones defined his night persona in the legendary Blitz nightclub — perennially crowned by a hat of his own idiosyncratic design. By 1980, Jones opened his first millinery salon, which quickly became a place of pilgrimage and patronage, in the heart of London’s Covent Garden. From rock stars to royalty, Boy George to Diana, Princess of Wales, everyone deemed Jones the ticket to landing headlines. He made millinery modern and compelling, sourcing materials that were often radical and delivering designs that ranged from refined to whimsical. His exquisitely crafted, quixotic hats spoke culture. More than four decades later, Jones’s era-defining eye continues to attract celebrity clientele, including Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Mick Jagger. Since the early ’80s Stephen Jones has collaborated with designers from Vivienne Westwood and Claude Montana through to his current work with Thom Browne, Matières Fécales, and Christian Dior. Jones’ hats have been an integral component in some of the most memorable runway spectacles of the past four decades. Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the British Fashion Council in 2008. In 2024, he was named British Accessories Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards.

Today, Jones’ retail boutique, design studio, and workroom sit charmingly close to the site of his first millinery salon. In addition to his Model Millinery collection, he designs the widely distributed Miss Jones and JonesBoy diffusion ranges. In 2009, he curated Hats, an Anthology by Stephen Jones at the Victoria & Albert Museum, breaking global attendance records. In 2024–25, the Palais Galliera in Paris presented nearly 400 works, including more than 170 hats, in Stephen Jones: Chapeaux d’Artiste. His hats are also collected by prestigious institutions including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre in Paris.

Jones’ influence extends beyond fashion houses to significant cultural moments. In 2024, Lady Gaga wore a Jones original feathered headdress in collaboration with Dior for her opening performance at the Paris Olympics where she sang “Mon Truc en Plumes” along the Seine.

Photo by Francisco Chagas.