‘To get ahead, men need an outrageous hat’

Hat designer David Shilling has declared a new era of extravagant millinery — for men. He said they will soon be wearing outrageous hats of the kind more usually seen at Ascot.

“Men’s millinery is undergoing a revolution,” he said. “There is this enormous change going on and men under 35 are just up for it. They’re up for trying these extravagant hats and at the right party, it can work.”

Stars including David Beckham and Johnny Depp have made hats part of their signature style, while Pharrell Williams caused an internet storm with the Vivienne Westwood Buffalo hat he wore to the Grammys.

Shilling’s hats take several months to make, costing thousands of pounds. He said: “We’ve custom made a hat to match a midnight blue Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo at a specific event, but equally we make hats that are worn with jeans.”

The Londoner compares his customers to men having bespoke suits made on Savile Row, as men are keen to spend money on a custom-made product.

The men’s fashion industry has been booming of late, particularly in the UK where the biannual London Collections: Men fashion week premiered in 2012 and lured designers such as Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen to bring their menswear collections back to the capital.

The couture process gives the customer input into the design and it is rare that Shilling receives an order for only one hat.

He added: “If anything, the men ask for more feathers, more sequins. But these hats are wearable - they’re more wearable than ladies’ 6in high heels.

“It’s not just for the theatrical effect — these are ordinary, thinking men who are passionate about fashion, and we shouldn’t be surprised because for centuries men were at the forefront of innovative fashion."

One of Shilling’s creations for men, called Divinely Delicious — Zero Calories! is on display at restaurant 34 in Mayfair, as part its Hats Off To The Racing Season exhibition. It features fifteen hats including designs worn by Lady Gaga, Princess Diana and Beth Ditto and runs until July 20.