There is something unmistakably singular about Stephen Jones—his work, too. Today, I attended the private view of his latest collection of headwear masterpieces. The first thing I saw upon entering his Covent Garden store was the words think pink, pack black—which I soon learned was the title of his latest collection. Sure enough, I was wearing a black leather jacket (for the first time in years) and had freshly painted hot-pink nails. In any other instance, I’d call this a coincidence, but when it comes to Stephen Jones, I can’t help but feel he had something to do with it.
I remember the first time I visited his store—I was collecting a hat for a stylist I was working for at the time. I was panicking over the ever-growing checklist of pickups I had to complete before the end of the day, but as soon as I entered, the anxiety seemed to disappear. The space has always felt impressively welcoming and unpretentious, not to mention the beautiful display of Jones’s designs that fill the room. Coming back this time was, once again, a total pleasure.
For his AW26 collection, Jones imagines a hat for every endeavour you might embark on this season. According to the collection notes, these might include “sipping champagne at Claridge’s Fumoir in levitating satin ribbon,” or “attending Winter Ascot in a top hat draped with panné velvet and tied with a bow.” And while none of these activities were on my agenda, the thought of “taking a skinny dip in Stockholm wearing nothing but a beaded mermaid swim cap” suddenly shot to the top of my to-do list.
The palette is, of course, centred around black and a whole spectrum of pink—from bold fuchsia to softer, dustier tones. Jewel-trimmed berets, wool and leather shadow caps, and a reversible satin beanie that transforms into velvet with sequin feathers make up the collection, while joyful adornments such as bows, flowers, and polka dots accented the pieces.
Among the looks—and perhaps my favourite piece—was an embellished fuchsia party hat of sorts that had been turned upside down. With multicoloured streamers draping along the side of the face, I imagined my dream birthday party, and sure enough, that is what I was wearing.
While I may be biased—after 18-year-old stylist-assistant me declared the shop a safe haven—the AW26 collection is nothing short of a joyful yet sophisticated lineup of pieces. I’m still figuring out how I can weave them into my day-to-day life.
