Australian Looking For American Contacts In The Hat Industry

[Blakesby]

Hello! I've never posted to this forum before. Please excuse me if this isn't quite the right place for it, and excuse the title (I couldn't think of anything else), or any other naiveties regarding my use of this forum (please excuse me all 'round, I guess, I'm quite new here).

Getting to the point! I'm a hat maker, located in Adelaide, South Australia. I'm rather fresh to the industry (finished a tertiary certificate in millinery earlier this year), and not quite yet established, but I'm slowly getting there.
Unfortunately, the Australian industry seems almost entirely focused on creating modern women's racewear whimsys ('fascinator', and such). This isn't what I'm interested in. My focus is on vintage style and inspired pieces. I've an interest in replicating traditional men's styles (fedora, derby/bowler, homburg, top hat, etc), but also some women's styles too (cloche, 1930s tilt hat, etc). Because of the Australian industry focus, it seems difficult to find much information or anyone who knows much about traditional methods and details, and I fear much of that sort of stuff is either lost to Australia, or that it's possible some of it never existed in the first place.

Again, getting back onto the eventual point! Next year I'm intending to visit the States. Particularly on the cards is Los Angeles, New York, and possibly Portland and New Orleans (but willing to consider visiting other locations within good reason). The point of this trip is to meet friendly and interesting or inspiring people in the areas of vintage/dandyism, swing dancing, and the hat/millinery industry, as well as to hopefully bring plenty of new information and physical treasures back to Australia. A recently formed contact in the States suggested that I inquire on The Fedora Lounge to see if anyone had any suggestions of whom or where to visit in regards to hats. I'd especially love to find someone who would be willing to take me in and teach me some things I don't already know about the art of hat making.

I suppose that's about it really. Please let me know if you've any suggestions or are someone this would be relevant to!

Kind regards,
Blakesby

 

[Seb Lucas]

Australian company Helen Kaminski uses great felt for their bowlers. I'm curious how these are made.

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge!

 

[alanfgag]

+1... I think you will find friends here.

 

[fedoralover]

Always great to see our international community grow. There are a number of hatters in Oregon, 4 I know of right off and probably a few more I don't know. They are all quite congenial and like to talk hats. However please be advised, many hatters have taken years and years to perfect their skills and have learned many of them through trial and error. There are some basic skills they would probably be willing to share, but other things they may be inclined to keep to themselves as that's what sets their work off from others.

regards fedoralover

 

[Blakesby]

Thanks all for the responses thus far!

Always great to see our international community grow. There are a number of hatters in Oregon, 4 I know of right off and probably a few more I don't know. They are all quite congenial and like to talk hats. However please be advised, many hatters have taken years and years to perfect their skills and have learned many of them through trial and error. There are some basic skills they would probably be willing to share, but other things they may be inclined to keep to themselves as that's what sets their work off from others.

regards fedoralover

I haven't any contacts in the Portland/Oregon hat industry yet, but I should look into that. Do you have any specific names/businesses?
Indeed, this seem very much be the case with this industry; often years and years of trail and error to perfect their work. I must get to that, too.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

New Orleans is an interesting town and any opportunity to experience it should not be missed. Meyer the Hatter is just off of Canal Street. http://www.meyerthehatter.com/
At one time they offered good quality shaping of felt hats and other services, but their man retired and they have been a hats out of a box since then as far as I know.
It would be nice to see them offer other options.

Eat the Jazz brunch on Sunday at Commander's Palace while there.

Fed

 

[Art Fawcett]

Please contact me privately Blakesby. You don't have enough posts to use the PM feature here but I would be happy to make suggestions of people and places to meet. Just click through to my website. Art