U2 frontman Bono gave evidence today against his former stylist who claims a Stetson hat she tried to sell at autction was a gift from the band.

Lola Cassman says she was given the hat and other memorabilia as gifts during U2’s Joshua Tree tour in 1987.

But the band successfully sued last year for the recovery of the hat, a pair of metal hooped earrings, a green sweatshirt and a pair of black trousers, which they said she took without permission.

The stylist was ordered to return the items, estimated to be worth 5,000 euro (£3,500), to the band within seven days.

But instead she appealed, and faces a substantial legal bill if she loses the case being heard at Dublin High Court.

Ms Cashman, who left the band in 1988, was hired by Bono personally to replace their stylist, who was on maternity leave.

Dressed in a chocolate brown suit and wearing rose-coloured tinted glasses, Bono - real name Paul Hewson - brought a touch of glamour to the court.

He said that Ms Cassman had been found by his management company through an agency.

"It was a very big moment in the bands career," he said. "Everything had come right for us. We had a lot of songs on radio around the world and particularly in the US we had a couple of number ones singles."

Bono said Ms Cassman joined the 150-strong entourage at a tense and exciting time, when the group was moving out from playing in arenas to outdoor stadiums.

He admitted styling wasn’t the band’s strength, and they were grateful to Ms Cassman for her input.

"I am trying to think of her exact moment of entry but I can’t," he continued. She had a very good eye. She had a lot more experience than us."

"But it was very clear on almost immediate arrival she wasn’t a good in dealing with personal relationships, and initially put a lot of people’s noses out of place."

Bono told the court his trademark Stetson hat had been his idea, which he had had since before Ms Cassman’s arrival.

He said the image was used to represent American iconography.

"It was always part of my idea of how I wanted to present myself to the world in an ironic sense," he said.

The court heard that Ms Cassman was responsible for the transport of all wardrobe items.

Bono stressed it was important to the band, and their manager Paul McGuinness, to keep record of their memorabilia to either archive or donate.

"We thought it would have some importance of the history of the band," he said.

"We hoped we would be around long enough to be part of that."

In 2000, Ms Cassman put some of her memorabilia, including a signed album cover, up for auction at Sotheby’s.

She said there had been no objections until she placed the remaining items for sale at Christie’s in 2002, when she received two letters from U2 lawyers seeking their return.

Ms Cassman claims the letters are defamatory, and has started proceedings against the band in the High Court in London.

She maintains the band’s claim was brought to stop the defamation case.

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