Tiepolo's hats: 18th-century headwear inspiring contemporary fashion

An article on Artribune traces the history of hats through art and fashion, focusing on Gian Battista Tiepolo's frescoes at Villa Valmarana ai Nani in Vicenza. Tiepolo's depictions of 18th-century Venetian life show straw hats, berets, turbans, and tricorns that have influenced modern designers. Straw hats with wide brims, worn by peasants for sun protection, were later adopted by aristocrats as status symbols adorned with feathers and ribbons. The conical straw hat worn by Tiepolo's peasants reappeared on Sophia Loren at Cannes in the 1960s and Audrey Hepburn in 1957 Givenchy. Recent collections by Miu Miu, Nina Ricci, and Koché reference these shapes. The tricorn, originally military, was adapted by Venetian nobility with a white bauta mask. Turbans, influenced by Turkish-Oriental styles, appear in works by Gentile da Fabriano and Parmigianino, and have been reinterpreted by Christian Dior, Missoni, Marc Jacobs, and Philip Treacy. The article also notes the 'trecciaiole' (straw braiders) in 19th-century Italy, whose craft supported families and led to modern hat districts in Marche and Tuscany. Brigitte Bardot and Anya Taylor-Joy have worn extreme brims up to 53 cm by Jacquemus. Balenciaga Haute Couture created a beanie for Rihanna at the 2021 Met Gala. The article concludes that hats are a constantly evolving accessory with rich history in art, photography, cinema, and costume.