Noel Stewart is a London based milliner with international status. Taking inspiration from contemporary art and architecture whilst using his extensive skills, he modernises millinery and creates a fresh and elegant approach to how we dress the head. Noels collections for men and women combine luxury materials and traditional craftsmanship with contemporary innovation. Before attending the Royal College of Art, Noel worked with designers Dai Rees and Stephen Jones. This included time spent as Stephen Jones’s assistant at Christian Dior Couture, John Galliano and Louis Vuitton Since establishing his label Noel has designed hats for leading fashion designers such as Roland Mouret, Diesel, Roksanda Ilincic, Erdem, Hussein Chalayan, Richard Nicoll, Jaeger, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Holly Fulton, Sibling, Viktor & Rolf, Claire Barrow and Gareth Pugh. His continuing work with such designers reflects the relevance of his role in contemporary fashion. Off the catwalk Noel Stewart has acquired a loyal fan-base. His hats have been worn by the likes of Keira Knightly, Lady Gaga, Florence Welch, Kylie Minogue and Beth Ditto. Noel Stewart Millinery is stocked in Barneys across the US, Hatwoman and I.T. in Hong Kong, Tit fer Tat in the UK, Weave Toshi in Tokyo, Alter in Shanghai, Olivier Mauge in Germany and 101 in Taipei. Noel receives ongoing, widespread press. His hats feature regularly in magazines such as Vogue UK, Italia, Russia, China, Japan and France as well as Harpers Bazaar, Dazed and Confused, ID, V Magazine, LOVE, Dansk, Financial Times, Ponystep, AnOther and 10 Magazine. He also has featured on Dazed digital, wheelmeout, ASVOF, Glass and Vogue.it. The Design Museum chose Noel’s Ribboned Cityscape Hat to represent 2011in their book -50 Hats that changed the world and Yasmin Sewell nominated Noel for the Phaidon book – Pattern, 100 fashion designers, 10 curators. Noel’s work has also had an important role in the V & A’s exhibition ‘Stephen Jones – An Anthology of Hats’ which opened to record visitors in London and Brisbane before going on to open at the Bard graduate centre in New York. Noel was selected to be a part of the Headonism initiative at London Fashion Week from 2009 -12. This unique initiative which champions the new wave of British Milliners highlights London as the inspirational heart of global millinery. In October 2013 Noel was appointed to the role of Creative Director of Christy and Co hats. Having been bought by Liberty, this heritage hat brand chose Noel for his in depth understanding of the industry and his unique ability to create contemporary headwear.
