The hat does half the work of Xenia Onatopp’s entrance. In GoldenEye, the villain wears an oversized black hat designed by Philip Somerville, one of Britain’s best-known milliners. It was made for the film, so there is no product page to send you to. This page covers the hat, the maker, and how to find a Philip Somerville black hat now.
In the film
In GoldenEye (1995), Famke Janssen’s Xenia Onatopp wears the black hat in Monaco, in the outfit she wears when she shoots the two helicopter pilots on the military ship. Wikipedia credits Somerville with the oversized black hat in the film, and with a fur hat for another Bond villain.
The maker
Philip Somerville was a hat maker to Queen Elizabeth, and his hats are often described as flattering to the wearer. Pre-owned Somerville hats turn up in several forms: black wool and lace fascinators, black straw with ostrich feather, black velvet with a veil, and a black mohair plush hat with a wide brim in an auction lot of three formal hats. The Victoria and Albert Museum holds a black straw Somerville hat with an ostrich feather from 1986.
Wearing it now
A large black hat is for the daytime event where everyone else is in pastels: a wedding, the races, a christening. It needs a plain, closely fitted dress or coat and very little jewellery, and it should be the only dramatic thing about you. Wear it level and slightly forward, and carry nothing that competes with it.
Because the film hat was made for the part, you are not going to find an identical one on sale. A pre-owned Philip Somerville in black is the closest route, and the search below is the place to start. Check the brim for creasing and the inside band for marks, and ask for the head measurement in centimetres.
Specifications
| Maker | Philip Somerville |
|---|---|
| Colour | Black, oversized |
| Worn by | Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen) |
| Availability | Bespoke piece; pre-owned Somerville hats found second-hand |
Questions
Who made Xenia Onatopp’s hat in GoldenEye?
Philip Somerville, who made the oversized black hat she wears in Monaco.
Can you buy the exact hat?
No. It was made for the film. Pre-owned Philip Somerville hats are the nearest thing.
For more from the film, see GoldenEye, or browse other accessories from the films.
