Dance With Me

Following on from his MA in Millinery at the Royal College Of Art in 2007, Justin Smith continues to develop his uniquely assured and eclectic vision with Dance With Me, the first of his independent collections for 2008. Dance With Me is an homage to the ballroom scenes of the twenties and thirties, bringing alive the sepia colours and golden mysteries that resonate within the pictorial and literary ephemera of the early twentieth century.

Each of these bespoke, hand-made confections is a different, delicate blend of rabbit fur felt, calfskin, gold leather, pearls, osprey and feathers, finished with vintage trimmings and tailored with love. Every hat has its own diary, making its own individual journey from materials to workshop, from catwalk to salon, from dressing room to stage, from purchasers to admirers. Through that journey, each hat acquires its own distinctive personality.