Hat

Rose Valois

ca. 1954 · silk, feathers · Costume Institute

Masterful featherwork is one hallmark of the French milliner. In this example by renowned Parisian hat-maker Rose Valois, the skillful application of smooth feathers in layers flat against the form of the hat appears to create an extension of the wearer's hairstyle, while the softly pleated body resembles the turban headdresses of the ealy 1800s. The overall effect of the hat, heightened by its shape and the dramatic combination of colors, is that of an aureole for the woman who wore it.

Artist

Rose Valois

Date

ca. 1954

Medium

silk, feathers

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, Jr., 1975