Designer name: Stephen Jones
Origin: Liverpool
Design background: Born in Cheshire, and schooled in Liverpool, Stephen Jones burst on to the London fashion scene in the late seventies, as a student at Central Saint Martins.
In 1980, Jones opened his first millinery salon in the heart of London's Covent Garden with clients including Boy George and Lady Diana, enamoured with his idiosyncratic designs.
Twenty-five years later, Jones's era-defining edge continues to attract a celebrity clientele which currently includes Marilyn Manson, Pink, Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé Knowles and Alison Goldfrapp.
Jones’s hats are an integral component of catwalk designers’ shows including Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawabuko and Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Design signatures: “Whimsical elegance.”
Career highlight: “It’s going to be this September when the V&A exhibition, ‘Hats, an Anthology by Stephen Jones’, opens in New York. Receiving my OBE from her Majesty The Queen was also a highlight.”
How would you describe your ideal client? “Someone who has fun dressing and sees fashion as self-expression.”
Trademark piece: “A miniature top-hat.”
What is your brand philosophy? “Have fun!”
Price range at retail: £300 - £2000
Three spring/summer 2012 inspirations: “My collection is called ‘Chinoiserie-on-Sea’ so Brighton Pavillion, asymmetry and the London Season are all inspiring me.”
What’s next for your brand? “New collaborations in Italy, new product categories and a second fragrance with Comme des Garçons.”
Who are your design heroes? “Grinling Gibbons, Elsa Schiaparelli and John Galliano.”
What’s your favourite cultural hotspot in the capital? “Switchblade at The Baby Bathhouse in Stoke Newington with a glass of Krug Champagne.”