It’s that time of year again when we beg and borrow camping chairs from our grandparents, stack up on the tinnies and head to a field in the middle of nowhere to drench ourselves in glitter and dance till the earliest hours of the morning. Festivals are the perfect way to let your hair down after a long season of short days, filled with cold rain and intense work. Yet in recent years, there’s been a shift in festival politics. The old, battered clothes you once wore to tackle the fezzy sludge have been replaced by your finest fashions. Heading to Glasto at the end of the month? Get set to see a sea of fish-scale halter tops, cycling shorts and batty riders in all shades of denim. Out of all the festival fashion fads which have been and gone, it’s the bucket hat that has withstood the test of time. Though with its floppy structure, it’s difficult to avoid looking like an extra from Kevin and Perry Go Large.
Luckily Browns is here to spice up your festival attire. Taking their cues from the men who lead the Brit-Pop movement, the luxury retailer has exclusively collaborated ten brands to elevate the bucket hat silhouette – just in time for summer. “I loved everything about this collaboration – in particular getting a global perspective on them,” tells us Browns menswear buyer Thom Scherdel. “They’re made for summer holidays, festivals and raves, it’s a proper feel good piece.”
A standout from the collection comes courtesy of Children of the Discordance, where a limited run of 100 hats are made from an array of vintage bandanas. Burberry goes for something a little more subtle – favouring a glossy black finish with the brand’s logo slapped on the front. Aligning more with the more slouched silhouette first established by Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher back in the 1990s, Kangol has also joined in on the action – creating a psychedelic tie-dye number that’s ideal for your mates who are prone to go walk-abouts during festival season.
Browns couldn’t do a collection of bucket hats without getting Prada on board, who have re-interpreted their iconic boxy silhouette into a ribbed black and white number, fitted with the triangular Prada logo of course. That’s a polished take on 1990s rave style. Browns are celebrating the launch of the collection with an installation paying homage to the Brit-Pop boys who popularised the headwear at their Shoreditch flagship store. Sadly, they couldn’t wrangle the Gallagher brothers to make amends, so there will be no acoustic renditions of Wonderwall, but there is plenty on offer to get you in the festival spirit – pass us the glitter.
Browns’ Bucket Hat installation launches at Browns East on the 7th of June
Burberry
Kangol
By Walid
Prada
Children Of The Discordance
Alanui
