Bucket Hats: A Classic(al) History installation at Browns East

In fashion, it’s often the case that what’s old is new again and vice versa. With this in mind, what better way to celebrate the revival of the bucket hat than by placing it on the heads of a few of our favourite classical rulers?

To showcase the Browns exclusive designer bucket hats, we decided to pay homage to the 90s staple by exhibiting them on antiquity’s  most illustrious figureheads - a true fusion of ancient history and contemporary fashion. Julius Caesar, Lucius Verus, Brutus and co. as you’ve never seen them before. In bucket hats, that is.

Taking over the entrance at Browns East, we present “Bucket Hats: A Classic(al) History”, a display of classical sculptures decked out in these instant classics. With styles by the likes of Alyx, Off-White, Prada and Kangol x Stain Shade, these guys are showing us that a true classic never goes out of style.

Accompanying the exhibition are blurbs for each character, telling us a bit about their history and why the spirit of the bucket hat can be found in the legacy of each. Take Caesar for example: the best-known of our bucket hat wearing forebears, what’s less well known is the fact that he made a trip to Britain in 55 BC, which must be where he picked up his first bucket hat. Inspired by the UK rave scene, Caesar brought his bucket hat back to Rome, but sadly left behind its democratic style. Once an impressive military leader, Caesar let power go to his head and eventually became a bit of a tyrant. In the end he was assassinated by bucket-wearing Brutus (also featured), who sought to reinstate the style as a symbol of democracy.

For more bucket hat trivia, head down to Browns East to check out the installation. Oh, and whilst you’re there, don’t forget to pick up your own slice of history. Whilst these dudes might have kicked the bucket already, the hat’s timeless legacy can live on in your wardrobe.

Words by Georgia Graham