Royal Ascot revealed 10 bespoke millinery designs curated by its creative director Daniel Fletcher at London Fashion Week.
The showcase, under the name Royal Ascot Millinery Collective, featured works by industry veterans including Stephen Jones, Jane Taylor, Awon Golding and Lisa Tan, as well as rising millinery talents such as Eliurpi, Carrie Jenkinson, Katherine Elizabeth, Sally-Ann Provan, Alexandra Harper and Merve Bayindir.
In addition to their bespoke millinery designs, each model was dressed in a custom cream trouser suit, inspired by the famed Royal Enclosure dress code and the art of traditional tailoring, designed by Fletcher.
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Felicity Barnard, chief executive officer of Ascot Racecourse, said the showcase was a landmark moment for Ascot as it will be the first time in the collective’s 10-year history that it has shown during London Fashion Week.
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“Fletcher has created a truly fitting tribute to the millinery world by bringing together 10 of the very best hatmakers to form this year’s collective. Exquisite hats and millinery masterpieces are woven into the very fabric of Royal Ascot’s heritage and we are committed to preserving and celebrating this tradition for generations to come,” added Barnard.
Fletcher, who landed the job last February, said the anniversary celebrated a decade of craftsmanship and the continued evolution of millinery as a dynamic art form.
“This year’s collection brings together a remarkable group of designers, each with a unique perspective and passion for their craft. With London Fashion Week as the perfect backdrop, I’m excited to see how the Royal Ascot Millinery Collective continues to inspire and shape the future of raceday fashion for the summer season,” he added.
The Royal Ascot races were founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and since then have become a fixture for the British royal family to attend as a unit. The late monarch Queen Elizabeth II was an avid hippophile, while her daughters-in-law, the late Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson, as well as Catherine Middleton and Meghan Markle, the wives of Prince William and Prince Harry, respectively, have always captured the attention of the press for what they wear.
The Royal Enclosure requires all women to wear hats and, in most cases, skirts or dresses to the knee, while men must wear top hats and morning suits.
This year’s Royal Ascot will take place from June 17 to 21 in Berkshire, England.