The History Behind Pharrell Williams' GRAMMYs Hat

During last night’s 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards mayhem, Pharrell Williams‘ choice of headwear stood out as a trending topic on social media platforms. It turns out, however, that the hat has an intricate design story. The hat’s bold silhouette can be traced back to Vivienne Westwood‘s design from the 1980s, when it first appeared in her ex-boyfriend and punk revolutionist Malcolm McLaren’s “Buffalo Gals” music video. McLaren, who’s initiated the punk movements of the ’70s, managed the Sex Pistols, and founded controversial frontman Jonny Rotten. Standing behind Chelsea boutique ‘SEX’ with Westwood — which offered a bevy of provocative fetish gear, bespoke drape jackets and early creepers shoes —  McLaren’s bold disposition towards fashion and music progressed into the realms of hip-hop and later funk and disco. In 2010, Westwood reiterated the “Buffalo Hat” from her 1982 fall/winter collection, while Pharrell hopes that one day he’ll own the vintage piece; in the meantime he pays tribute to the all-encompassing fashion and cultural icon via this latest model he bought at London’s World’s End. An iconic piece that’s recently made a comeback as an alternative to the fedora, Pharrell again pushes the envelope to style, drawing from symbolic undertones in his latest outfit for the GRAMMYs.