Traditional hatters Herbert Johnson were commissioned to create a hat for legendary wartime Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, who sits next to Franklin D Roosevelt in Bond St. Having dressed the heads of the military and the aristocracy since 1889, the team at Herbert Johnson decided, when faced with the HATWALK challenge, not to abandon tradition but to create a sturdy Homberg for Churchill – in line with his trademark headwear.

The hatters described HATWALK as ‘a project that is both unique and innovative . . . at a time when the hat is considered little more than an accessory, we hope that this project will rekindle interest in this article of dress that was once deemed an essential piece of attire. Our choice of hat for Sir Winston Churchill was twofold. It was Churchill’s favourite article of headwear but also a hat that was introduced to England by King Edward VII, the company’s first patron.’