The hat hath returned.
And no I’m not referring to the dinky trilbies that you can find at your local mall, nor that raggedy baseball cap in the back of your closet, I’m talking about an honest to God, grown man, make-Gay-Talese-proud fedora. At least for some, that is.
Some call it the Mad Men effect, some point to the revival of classic menswear, some simply chalk it up to pure foppishness, but whatever the reason may be, this (slight) chapeau renaissance has turned the spotlight back towards some illustrious accessories labels that have flown under the radar for far too long.
One such brand is Barbisio, which has been producing felt hats in the Cervo Valley in Northern Italy for over one-hundred-fifty years. Barbisio’s hats are made by hand, from pulling the wool, to soaking the felt, to shaping the hat, to setting the brim, to brushing the nape. It’s a meticulous process but the end result is a soft, pliable fedora, that is more Italian countryside than Madison Ave, which is a great thing, because you shouldn’t be dressing like Don Draper, you should dress like yourself. In a great hat.
Now I want to know more about the graphic artist, that’s beautiful work.
Fedoras are dope, just don’t end up looking/acting like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUVOgPzXm7g
This newly established American hatter is very impressive. (I found him on Instagram making a hat for Robert Duvall.) As good or better than anything I’ve ever owned or seen from Italy or England: http://www.tattonbaird.com. Better still, he uses beaver and not wool – superior and longer lasting.
The graphic is stunning, and the felt hats are fabulous. There’s nothing like wearing a really beautifully made hat. I grew up in England, one of the few places on the planet where people still often wear hats to a wedding and have always loved that.
“… to brushing the nape.”
Do you perhaps mean brushing the nap?