Hoed in toque-model van donkerrood fluweel, aan de linkerkant versierd met een kleine toef struisveren in donkerrood en blauw c. 1950

This dark red velvet hat, decorated with a small tuft of dark red and blue ostrich feathers on the left, was designed by Chapeau Erian. I'm interested in the soft mark-making involved in fashion, particularly how the fabric folds and gathers in the body of the hat and how the feathers are arranged. The materiality of the hat is striking; the deep pile of the velvet contrasts so well with the delicate, almost weightless feathers. Look how the light catches the nap of the velvet, creating subtle shifts in tone. The feathers create a kind of halo around the wearer's head, adding to the hat’s dramatic flair. This hat reminds me of the kinds of pieces you might see Elsa Schiaparelli create, with their playful and unexpected combinations of materials. Like Schiaparelli’s work, this hat embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, inviting us to see the world with a sense of humor and curiosity.