Glamour, the final theme of Stephen Jones & The Accent of Fashion, is introduced by a blown-up version of ‘Ecstasy’, one of the hats inspired by the film ‘The Red Shoes’. Glamour is about divas, among other things, resulting in a whole array of top hats in varying proportions. Glamour moreover evokes sex, parties, boudoir and spotlights.

Some collections are motivated by films and Jones will base hats on key scenes; for example, his ‘Artifice’ collection (Spring/Summer 2007) parallels the story line of ‘The Red Shoes’, a 1948 British dance film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film is constructed according to the principle of ‘a tale within a tale’, and introduces a young ballerina – played by the famous redheaded dancer Moira Shearer – who is forced by an unscrupulous impresario to choose between her art – dance – and love. ‘Ecstacy’, a distorted mask, is adorned with a photograph, a still shot of Shearer’s penetrating expression when she is in the delirium and passion of the ballet.

© Photography: Frederik Vercruysse