meet the man responsible for Parker's garden-esque hat
May 15th 2008 12:21
When Sarah Jessica Parker arrived at the Odeon Cinema in London's Leicester Square on May 12 for the world premiere for the "Sex and the City" film something really stood out . . . her hat!
Parker’s garden inspired hat stood tall, bearing flowers, grasses and a butterfly. The hat was called "crazy" by many and was widely criticised by fashion "experts" while her pale green dress by Alexander McQueen was complimented.
I had to find out, who designed that hat? The answer: PHILIP TREACY
The 41 year old British hat specialist and acclaimed accessory designer to the stars has an OBE and is one of the world's foremost hat designers or milliners.
Treacy was born (1967) and raised in a tiny Irish village. He started sewing aged 5 and moved to Dublin in 1985 (aged 18) to study design at the National College of Art & Design doing work experience with Stephen Jones the London hat designer.
In 1989 Philip Treacy was still just a fashion student (now at London's Royal College of Art) when he designed a hat for fashion stylist and style editor at Tatler magazine Isabella Blow (formerly Isabella Delves Broughton). On the strength of that one encounter, she commissioned Treacy to fashion a headdress for her upcoming marriage to the barrister Detmar Blow in Gloucester Cathedral. Treacy assumed that the project would be a happy but one-off collaboration but by graduation Treacy had set up an atelier in the basement of the Blows' Belgravia house and began working through the night to create hats of extraordinary imagination for his newfound muse. Blow introduced her protégé to the titans of the fashion world, and Treacy was soon collaborating with designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, and Gianni Versace.
Treacy designed hats under Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel for ten years. Aged 23, the first hat he designed for Chanel was a twisted birdcage worn by Linda Evangelista on the cover of British vogue and was awarded British Fashion Acessory Designer of the year which he has gone on to win five times.
For his first fashion show supermodels like Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Yasmin LeBon and Stella Tennant agreed to be volunteer models in exchange for free hats. Now Sophie Dahl, Honor Fraser, Jodie Kidd, Victoria Beckham, and Liz Hurley are wearing Treacys hats and he is commissioned to design hats for royalty like the wedding of the Prince of Wales to the Duchess of Cornwall.
Parker’s garden inspired hat stood tall, bearing flowers, grasses and a butterfly. The hat was called "crazy" by many and was widely criticised by fashion "experts" while her pale green dress by Alexander McQueen was complimented.
I had to find out, who designed that hat? The answer: PHILIP TREACY
The 41 year old British hat specialist and acclaimed accessory designer to the stars has an OBE and is one of the world's foremost hat designers or milliners.
Treacy was born (1967) and raised in a tiny Irish village. He started sewing aged 5 and moved to Dublin in 1985 (aged 18) to study design at the National College of Art & Design doing work experience with Stephen Jones the London hat designer.
In 1989 Philip Treacy was still just a fashion student (now at London's Royal College of Art) when he designed a hat for fashion stylist and style editor at Tatler magazine Isabella Blow (formerly Isabella Delves Broughton). On the strength of that one encounter, she commissioned Treacy to fashion a headdress for her upcoming marriage to the barrister Detmar Blow in Gloucester Cathedral. Treacy assumed that the project would be a happy but one-off collaboration but by graduation Treacy had set up an atelier in the basement of the Blows' Belgravia house and began working through the night to create hats of extraordinary imagination for his newfound muse. Blow introduced her protégé to the titans of the fashion world, and Treacy was soon collaborating with designers like Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, and Gianni Versace.
Treacy designed hats under Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel for ten years. Aged 23, the first hat he designed for Chanel was a twisted birdcage worn by Linda Evangelista on the cover of British vogue and was awarded British Fashion Acessory Designer of the year which he has gone on to win five times.
For his first fashion show supermodels like Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Yasmin LeBon and Stella Tennant agreed to be volunteer models in exchange for free hats. Now Sophie Dahl, Honor Fraser, Jodie Kidd, Victoria Beckham, and Liz Hurley are wearing Treacys hats and he is commissioned to design hats for royalty like the wedding of the Prince of Wales to the Duchess of Cornwall.
| 79 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
Comment by Jason King
Salty Popcorn
I saw a pic of her in that outfit on the red carpet on Perez Hilton's site and commented that it was definately not her and looked like a drag queen look-a-like showing up for the premiere. Oopsy!! This pic looks much more like her.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
Jason,
haha SJP always kind of looks like a drag queen, its only her height that gives her away as a genetic woman!
although i would be very interested to view the actual pic you first saw . . . perezhilton. com is it? (geez i cant stand that fat bastard! lol)
Ruby,
oh dear, excuse me! haha
the devil is it the details!
well its quite a bold fashion statement either way . . . perhaps the next one will be a whole swarm of butterflies!
Comment by Cheryl J
Funny Videos
Rhythmatism
Zentertainment
Thus cementing SJP as one of the most unattractive women in the world... and she wonders why she gets on that list.
All I have to say is:
* Treacy, some kids should never be allowed near glue, glitter or foliage in their formative kindergarten years.
* Someone take a whipper snipper (or weed whacker as the yanks call them) to that woman's head.
And finally.
* SARAH LOOK INTO A MIRROR BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE!
She probably got back from the premiere to find a couple of pigeons nesting and rutting in the tree atop her bonce.
In the words of the immortal Charlie Brown. Good Grief!
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
someones in a catty mood! meow! lol
researching this i actually started admiring Treacy and his flamboyance . . . i think that eccentrics are the real trendsetters and aspects of their ideas often show up in more tame (ie smaller haha) versions in mainstream fashion
i think the one SJP is wearing is absolutely gorgeous but i probably wouldnt put it on my head (not brave enough) . . . perhaps more suited to the catwalk or a vase?
i shudder to think what a Treacy piece must cost now he is the most sought-after hat designer in the world with such A-list clientele . . .
Comment by Jason King
Salty Popcorn
And here's another horrible SJP Granny pic!!! LOL
Comment by Anonymous
...but instead....
You get to be critiqued by a bunch of losers who 'save the world' by
boringblogging.I suppose you females call yourself feminists?
Feminasties.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
thanks for the pics . . . i can see what you mean!
anonymous,
lighten up a bit!
what one person thinks it "super hot bodied" another thinks is masculine . . . same with fashion, what one person thinks is innovative and cutting edge another will think is crazy and hideous . . . it wouldnt be a very interesting world if we all had the same opinions
who says feminists cant criticise fashion?
and no i dont claim to "save the world"
Comment by Jason King
Salty Popcorn
But anonymous - how come you looked at the page and even went so far to comment if it's so far beneath you?? Please be aware you became one of the "losers" when you touched that keyboard.
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Anonymous, we may have all thought you were making a good point if you didn't have to be so godamned femiNASTY whilst making it. Ever heard of constructive criticism?
Besides which, every celebrity knows there is no such thing as bad publicity. You don't think SJP knew some (many) people were going to criticise her hat? You don't think that is exactly why she wore it? Do you hear anyone going on about what any of the other girls were wearing?
Comment by Jason King
Salty Popcorn
But I did consider myself part of the:
"bunch of losers who 'save the world' by (boring) blogging."
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
yeah i thought the actual article was fairly objective and unbiased, i was trying to give the facts about the man and how he is regarded in the fashion industry (in contrast with the opinions of celebrity commentators)
SJPs unusual fashion has become her trademark and its discussion by reporters or bloggers is what makes her the cultural icon she is today
hi Ruby,
constructive? haha not likely!
well in all honesty the vast majority of people are who comment my posts are very constructive, but i always seem to find that one random thin-skinned person determined to get offended at anything!
i agree SJPs fashion choices are designed to draw attention to her and cause comment . . . and in this case she has done the designer a great service as it prompted me to research him!
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
BAHAHAhahah good call Jason . . . youre a rockn pro-feminist!
and whos more boring? the blogger, or the bore who reads the bloggers blogs? its a riddle . . .
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I have to agree, but she makes a very good-looking drag queen look-a-like.
I will commend SJP on the iconoclastic qualities of her appendage ('hat' somehow seems too conventional to describe this apparition), but I think it's just a little too unruly at the top for my liking.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
unconventional iconoclastic appendage . . . that is the most creative euphamism for "bad hat" ive ever seen! haha
i dont think its that bad really, if i was going out on the town impersonating a dragqueen (which i have done many times) i think that would be my hat of choice . . . it is so detailed and delicate despite it being larger than life!
if people knew how much i admire dragqueens they would understand i never use it as an insult!
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
You should post up pictures of yourself impersonating a drag queen! That would be so cool...
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk