The Darnell Collection boasts many hundreds of hats dating as early as a fancy and rare Norfolk leghorn straw poke bonnet, c. 1800 to a architectural wonder by Stephen Jones, c. 1980s, made from plastic horsehair coils filled with faux pearls. Even the 21st century is covered with hats a diverse as one that covers the face of the wearer with a circular array of Lyre bird feathers along with a stunning hat by Queensland milliner extraordinaire, Christie Millinery Designs - a dyed blue and woven straw perch hat fit for the Duchess of Cambridge. The Darnell Collection is proud to tell the story of hats over the past 200+ years.
Here is a selection of some of my favourite hat-wearing men and women as well as a tiny selection of women's hats from the Collection. (I'll post some of my coolest men's hats soon!)
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| Vivien Leigh |
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| Mrs Barnhart featured in Vogue USA April 2015 issue |
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| Tamara wears a 1950s wide brim hat perfect for summer parties (photographed by Brigitte Grant Photography) |
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| Sublime |
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| A 1920s hat made with lace, silk flowers and seed pods from a Clematis flower. French. From the Collection |
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| Truly smokey and divine! |
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| An explosion of colour worn regally |
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| A hat by Lily Dache, silk and patent leather, 1950. Photo by Brigitte Grant Photography. From the Collection |
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| A pretty woven raffia summer hat with cotton, velvet and dried flowers, 1890s. American. From the Collection |
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| Olivia wears an early 1940s Casablanca-style wool felt Fedora. From the Collection |
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| Doris Darnell always wore wide brim hats with ease and grace |
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| A wonderful blend of tribal and Western fashion |
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| A 1960s kid leather ensemble from France is worn beautifully in the mood of the Mods |
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| A straw wide brim picture hat by Calvert's, c. 1930s (Photography by Brigitte Grant photography) |
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| A rare Norfolk leghorn straw poke bonnet with pink silk lining, c. 1800. From the Collection |
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| Maker unknown (possibly Lucile), a gold lame and silk ribbon flower turban, c. 1917. From the Collection |
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| Don Draper in MadMen cuts a suave silhouette |
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| The wonderful David Shilling, English milliner extraordinaire |
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| David Shilling again at Royal Ascot |
