The name of 2018 London Hat Week official exhibition came from the historical event that took place in London in 1851. The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations or ‘The Great Exhibition’, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London. It was the first in a series of World’s Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century, and it was a much-anticipated event. Following the successful ‘21st Century Hat Exhibition’ in 2015 and ‘Milliner x Artisan’ exhibition in 2016, we celebrate world culture and heritage in magnificent hat designs at ‘The Great Hat Exhibition’ in March, 2018. There are 130 Milliners from all over the world (Spain, USA, Korea, UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Ghana, Australia…30 countries) who showcased their 200 beautiful creations inspired by a piece of history or culture, or crafted with unique technique or craftsmanship of their nation, at the Living Centre next to the British Library and King’s Cross St. Pancras station.
London Hat Week is a collection of hat related events run by individuals and organisations across London, celebrating the art of hats in the city that is home to some of the most talented hat design-ers in the world. Since its launch in 2014, London Hat Week has attracted enthusiastic hat lovers from around the world, promoting the headwear industry and encouraging hat wearing. An exciting col-laboration with X Terrace Fashion Platform, London Hat Week’s Official Exhibition Partner, has been a key factor in the continued success and growth of this popular event. The support of high profile milliners such as Stephen Jones OBE, Rachel Trevor-Morgan and Jane Taylor, along with invaluable partnerships with organisations like Team London Bridge, The Fashion and Textile Museum and Brain Tumour Research, has firmly established London Hat Week on the international fashion calendar.
Monique Lee Hylands-White
Founder of X Terrace fashion platform and Monique Lee Millinery Curator of The Great Hat Exhibition 2018 Principal Lecturer in Fashion of Coventry University London
Monique is a MA London College of Fashion womenswear graduate, her approach to hat design is adventurous, experimental in materials, construction and colours. Since starting Monique Lee Millinery in 2013, her designs have been featured in over 200 covers and editorials: VOGUE, Vanity Fair (Emma Watson, shot by Tim Walker, March 2017, and Kate McKinnon, shot by Annie Leibovitz, Nov 2017), L’officiel, Schön!, Hunger, Tatler, Design Scene, The Protagonist, Superior, Scala Regia, House of Coco, The Guardian, The Independent, Evening Standard, Sunday Times, Royal Ascot Official, Channel 4 Racing and many more.
She has collaborated with many prestigious partners such as Dorchester Collection Coworth Park Hotel and Spa, Birmingham City Council for Chelsea Flower Show, Le BHV MARIS. Her designs were also showcased at London Fashion Week, Copenhagen Fashion Week, Shanghai Fashion Week, Sotheby’s London, the Louvre, and EXPO Milano. This spring, she has been invited to create 20 exclusive hats for a Twentieth Century Fox’s film release global campaign. Throughout her journey with Monique Lee Millinery, she has met and worked with many incredible talents. In 2014, she founded X Terrace fashion platform to help EU fashion talents to find paid fashion projects with overseas clients.