Hats are textiles, and they are often made from felt. There are currently two headwear exhibitions in Luton, UK.
The first exhibition is organised by the British Hat Guild. ‘Showtime for Hats‘ is the first UK exhibition of its kind, focusing solely on hats for theatre, film, TV and opera. It’s a celebration of the milliners and hatters in the Guild who create specialist headwear for this niche. This is a fantastic opportunity to see handcrafted original pieces made by the UK’s finest hat makers, many of whom have been in the business for decades!
Headwear being exhibited includes Timothy Daltonʼs topper from Licence To Kill (Lock & Co Hatters), Michele Pfeifferʼs stunning transparent lace hat from the film Cherie (Sean Barrett), Paul Kayeʼs felt trilby worn in Year of The Rabbit (Ellie Vallerini), Ian McKellenʼs extravagant panto hat from Mother Goose (Claire Strickland), and Eddie Redmayneʼs helmet from Cabaret (Noel Stewart).
The exhibition runs until the 28th of October.
For more information, visit their website – https://www.thebritishhatguild.org.uk/about-showtime
The second exhibition is from the Culture Trust Luton. It presents ‘Hats Made Me’, a major exhibition that explores the global significance of hats and headwear. The exhibition, staged at Stockwood Discovery Centre, features objects from the world’s most celebrated fashion and performance milliners as well as 400 years of hats from the collection.
Featuring more than 200 objects, the exhibition includes a red visor design chosen by Beyoncé for her Cuff It video, a bridal hat worn by Cara Delevingne in Vogue, Michael Keaton’s cowl from Batman, a velvet hat donned by Kate Sharma in the Netflix hit show Bridgerton, and a lace mantilla worn by Queen Isabella II of Spain.
The exhibition runs until the 10th of December.
For more information, visit their website – https://www.culturetrust.com/whats-on/hats-made-me
Feltmakers Ireland 