Philip Treacy gifted 25 hats to Dame Elizabeth Taylor

Philip Treacy gifted 25 hats to Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

The famed milliner found the late screen legend to be a “sweetheart” when they met and was pleased he was able to surprise her with the extravagant present after she originally only requested a hatpin.

He recalled: “A couple of years ago, I got a phone call, would Mr. Treacy make a hatpin for Elizabeth Taylor? I said, ‘Might Miss Taylor like a hat to go with the hatpin?’ and the answer was yes.

“I went to see her at the Dorchester. I didn’t know whether I was going to be dealing with a very tricky person but she was a sweetheart.

“I thought it would be entertaining to do a hat show on her in her room – because, after all, she is an old lady. I tried 25 hats on her.

“She kept saying, ‘Which hat can I have?’ And at the end I said, ‘You can have them all.’ I gave her 25 hats.

“She said, ‘I must do something for you in return.’ But I’d got my return just by hanging out with her.”

Philip has designed for a range of celebrities, including Princess Beatrice, Lady Gaga and the late Isabella Blow, but insists not all of his customers are “crazy”.

He added: “I love the romance of what I do, although because of Isabella, Lady Gaga and Grace Jones, people think I have crazy customers. Sometimes I get more enthusiasm from the housewife who wants a hat and believes in it.”