Stephen Jones, The Outstanding Milliner

Milliner extraordinaire, Stephen Jones, received this year's Outstanding Achievement Award at the BFAs on Tuesday.

It seems only right that he should wear the crown: Stephen Jones is a master in his craft.

On the night, Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of the International Herald Tribune commented:

'There are only a few people from any given generation in fashion who transform the territory and Stephen is one of those. His work often defies categorisation and surpasses imagination - his hats inhabit that rarefied land where fashion meets art.'

The statement says it all: Stephen Jones and hats have enjoyed a winning 30year old working relationship.

He has contributed to British fashion in a unique and innovative way, working with Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Comme des Garcons and Marc Jacobs to name only a few.

The skilled hatter has also turned to films from Elizabeth, The Golden Age, Atonement and more currently, Coco avant Chanel.

This is one man who we hope will never stop designing.

What is sure, is that the next fashion week (to be held in February 2009) will be all about hats: the V&A is awaiting the event to present ‘Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones'.

Coco Avant Chanel

The French love their films and everyone loves Chanel.

This is why Coco Avant Chanel (Coco before Chanel) is on it's way to become the fashion film of 2009.

There is nothing more typically french than Audrey Tautou (Amelie) dressed as Coco Chanel.

And even if German Karl Lagerfeld is supervising the re-creation of certain clothes of the fashion house, the director, Anne Fontaine, is sure to keep the production in a French spirit while they are filming in Paris and Normandy.

The filming has started late, on the 15th of September, while the project was announced last May, and there is still no official release date (although it is expected to be late 2009).

However, the first production still is finally out, and the Amelie star looks stunning in a boyish suit and pose, that deliver well the strength of character of the woman who immortalised the little black dress and 'le smoking'.

Coco Chanel

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel (1883-1971) was a pioneer of modern women's fashion. Born in Saumur, France, she was trained as a seamstress in a Catholic orphanage.

This is probably was unleashed her determination.

She introduced woman's sportswear in 1913. In a post-war atmosphere, she later brought menswear-inspired styles into the mainstream.

Coco Chanel understood from the beginning what feminism taught the world much later: women are supposed to dress for themselves, not for men.

Because it is a French film, it is reasonable to expect a lot of artistic shots, quite a heavy dose of glamour, style and of course romance.

It might also be a long wait before we finally see it on a screen...