Berets, Anyone?

[Babbo Philipe]

wow nico you could fly over to Dans shop

 

[RJR]

wow nico you could fly over to Dans shop

My wallet is happy that I can't .

 

[Kreissaege]

Distance doesnt help, it only makes for more waiting

 

[RJR]

Distance doesnt help, it only makes for more waiting

 

[Daan]

Nice article in The Good Life; their new magazine has just come out and can be read online here.

 

[Nico]

wow nico you could fly over to Dans shop

I plan to holiday in NZ sometime in the future, maybe, just maybe.

 

[Nico]

I know, just couldn't help myself. My daughter suggested a striped shirt next time.

 

[Yarbles]

I know, just couldn't help myself. My daughter suggested a striped shirt next time.

View attachment 86238

Well Daan actually used to have a I see stripes blog , and sold a few Brittany /Telnyashka type shirts from memory ....

 

[Yarbles]

NZ visit...
On the cards for me too sooner than later...

 

[Daan]

A Canadian customer of mine who had traveled in Russia for a month was surprised by the number of berets he saw there, in the cities and the country, worn by both men and women and especially, by people of all ages. He wasn't able to find any in shops though (apart from military berets on markets).

Indeed, berets are, and have always been, very popular in Russia (and formerly in the USSR). There are many small scale manufacturers, but (to the best of my knowledge), none that produce classic Basque berets. The Russian military berets are made of multiple pieces of felted wool, sewn together (versus the one thread knitting of a traditional beret).

When I worked in emergency aid in Chechnya and some of the former Soviet Republics like Georgia and Azerbaijan, I found the same way of manufacturing there. In Chechnya berets were typically made of velvet, manufactured in back rooms by women who were happy to have some paying work.
I got a beautiful black and a green velvet "Boivik" (Chechen for "fighter") beret from my friend and bodyguard Isa (RIP).

There used to be a manufacturer of Basque berets before the collapse of the Soviet Union, but so far I haven't found any detailed information, other than that these were made in Ukraine and instead of a cabillou, it had a small loop of felted wool at the center of the beret (see photo below).

These days, practically all berets in Russia come from Czech manufacturer FEZCO/TONAK. To me, the difference between ex-Soviet and my North American/European clientele is interesting; Russians embrace these Czech made berets, while I sell very few to my regular customers despite these being of excellent quality at a very competitive price...

Personaly, with winter ended here in the southern hemisphere and summer not quite here, I find myself wearing my Tartan 11.5" and Czech Classics every day! Next month both models expand with the brown-melange colour of the Carpathian Mammoth Original too.

 

[ErikFid]

Two months back I bought a black Tartan 11.5"; now I also have the blue and winter green models (the green a magnificent blend of green loden and grey). Less than 1/2 the price of my top quality French foulard, but these are what I wear most of the time! Try them I say, they're great!

 

[Nico]

A Canadian customer of mine who had traveled in Russia for a month was surprised by the number of berets he saw there, in the cities and the country, worn by both men and women and especially, by people of all ages. He wasn't able to find any in shops though (apart from military berets on markets).
View attachment 86435 View attachment 86436 View attachment 86437
Indeed, berets are, and have always been, very popular in Russia (and formerly in the USSR). There are many small scale manufacturers, but (to the best of my knowledge), none that produce classic Basque berets. The Russian military berets are made of multiple pieces of felted wool, sewn together (versus the one thread knitting of a traditional beret).

View attachment 86430
When I worked in emergency aid in Chechnya and some of the former Soviet Republics like Georgia and Azerbaijan, I found the same way of manufacturing there. In Chechnya berets were typically made of velvet, manufactured in back rooms by women who were happy to have some paying work.
I got a beautiful black and a green velvet "Boivik" (Chechen for "fighter") beret from my friend and bodyguard Isa (RIP).

There used to be a manufacturer of Basque berets before the collapse of the Soviet Union, but so far I haven't found any detailed information, other than that these were made in Ukraine and instead of a cabillou, it had a small loop of felted wool at the center of the beret (see photo below).

View attachment 86429
These days, practically all berets in Russia come from Czech manufacturer FEZCO/TONAK. To me, the difference between ex-Soviet and my North American/European clientele is interesting; Russians embrace these Czech made berets, while I sell very few to my regular customers despite these being of excellent quality at a very competitive price...
View attachment 86433 View attachment 86434
Personaly, with winter ended here in the southern hemisphere and summer not quite here, I find myself wearing my Tartan 11.5" and Czech Classics every day! Next month both models expand with the brown-melange colour of the Carpathian Mammoth Original too.
View attachment 86426

I was in Russia back in 2015, seen plenty of people wearing berets, mostly in provincial areas.
The youngsters were mostly wearing brand name caps and smart phones glued to their hands.

 

[RJR]

Two months back I bought a black Tartan 11.5"; now I also have the blue and winter green models (the green a magnificent blend of green loden and grey). Less than 1/2 the price of my top quality French foulard, but these are what I wear most of the time! Try them I say, they're great!

I agree.

 

[Daan]

To say that beer and berets are a fine combination is not much of a revelation.

More interesting though is that, instead of boineros going to the beer, there is a trend of the beer "going beret"!

Many breweries, from micro to big multinational, have added berets into their marketing. Sometimes just visually in the label, often actually referring to berets in the name.

Must be something about boineros that inspired these breweries to adopt the beret in their marketing and advertising...

 

[Nico]

Wearing my blue Laulhere heritage today, I cant get over how much it has shrunk. The other heritage berets I own haven't .

 

[Babbo Philipe]

shrunk from what , did you wear it when raining before,

 

[Nico]

shrunk from what , did you wear it when raining before,

Caught in the rain many times. I kinda like the size now, similar to the Basco Roma.

 

[Daan]

Caught in the rain many times. I kinda like the size now, similar to the Basco Roma.

Shrinkage is inherent to any beret, or any garment made of natural wool, but doesn't occur at the same level from one beret to another.

Fulling machines

Simply said, the denser the felted wool of the beret, the lesser shrinkage. Laulhère’s Tarte Chasseur Alpin is the heaviest, most densely felted beret you could find and has been fulled (a part of the felting and shrinking process during manufacturing) to the extent that there remains very little room for further shrinkage.
Boinas Elósegui’s Super Lujo models and Exposición Año 1858 are lighter in weight than the Tarte Chasseur, but again have been fulled to the maximum, creating a stiffer beret that has minimal shrinkage.

Also, the method of knitting has an influence on shrinking; Boneteria Auloronesa knits its berets in a way invented by it's founder that causes minimal shrinkage, a well kept trade secret. This is evident in the leather headbands used for this brand; where most berets are fitted with relatively thick, rigid leather bands to maintain the size of the head-opening against shrinking, Auloronesa's are fitted with a thinner, much suppler and more comfortable leather band.

After prolonged exposure tor rain, it is important to dry your beret; NOT on a direct heat source (so not on a heater, with a hair dryer or in direct warm sunlight!), but in a well ventilated, dry area without direct sun shining on your beret. If you worry about shrinkage (a light density beret), fit a dinner plate the size of your beret inside it while drying - this helps against shrinkage and also maintains the shape of the beret.

 

[Nico]

Shrinkage is inherent to any beret, or any garment made of natural wool, but doesn't occur at the same level from one beret to another.
View attachment 86675 Fulling machines View attachment 86676
Simply said, the denser the felted wool of the beret, the lesser shrinkage. Laulhère’s Tarte Chasseur Alpin is the heaviest, most densely felted beret you could find and has been fulled (a part of the felting and shrinking process during manufacturing) to the extent that there remains very little room for further shrinkage.
Boinas Elósegui’s Super Lujo models and Exposición Año 1858 are lighter in weight than the Tarte Chasseur, but again have been fulled to the maximum, creating a stiffer beret that has minimal shrinkage.
View attachment 86678
Also, the method of knitting has an influence on shrinking; Boneteria Auloronesa knits its berets in a way invented by it's founder that causes minimal shrinkage, a well kept trade secret. This is evident in the leather headbands used for this brand; where most berets are fitted with relatively thick, rigid leather bands to maintain the size of the head-opening against shrinking, Auloronesa's are fitted with a thinner, much suppler and more comfortable leather band.
View attachment 86673 View attachment 86677 View attachment 86674
After prolonged exposure tor rain, it is important to dry your beret; NOT on a direct heat source (so not on a heater, with a hair dryer or in direct warm sunlight!), but in a well ventilated, dry area without direct sun shining on your beret. If you worry about shrinkage (a light density beret), fit a dinner plate the size of your beret inside it while drying - this helps against shrinkage and also maintains the shape of the beret.

Thanks Daan.
As I suspected. My B A's and Super Lujo have not shrunk at all.
I like the dinner plate suggestion, I will give it a go next time.

 

[ErikFid]

Shrinkage is inherent to any beret, or any garment made of natural wool, but doesn't occur at the same level from one beret to another.
View attachment 86675 Fulling machines View attachment 86676
Simply said, the denser the felted wool of the beret, the lesser shrinkage. Laulhère’s Tarte Chasseur Alpin is the heaviest, most densely felted beret you could find and has been fulled (a part of the felting and shrinking process during manufacturing) to the extent that there remains very little room for further shrinkage.
Boinas Elósegui’s Super Lujo models and Exposición Año 1858 are lighter in weight than the Tarte Chasseur, but again have been fulled to the maximum, creating a stiffer beret that has minimal shrinkage.
View attachment 86678
Also, the method of knitting has an influence on shrinking; Boneteria Auloronesa knits its berets in a way invented by it's founder that causes minimal shrinkage, a well kept trade secret. This is evident in the leather headbands used for this brand; where most berets are fitted with relatively thick, rigid leather bands to maintain the size of the head-opening against shrinking, Auloronesa's are fitted with a thinner, much suppler and more comfortable leather band.
View attachment 86673 View attachment 86677 View attachment 86674
After prolonged exposure tor rain, it is important to dry your beret; NOT on a direct heat source (so not on a heater, with a hair dryer or in direct warm sunlight!), but in a well ventilated, dry area without direct sun shining on your beret. If you worry about shrinkage (a light density beret), fit a dinner plate the size of your beret inside it while drying - this helps against shrinkage and also maintains the shape of the beret.

I have no shares in Tonak, but pemit me to say that my Czech Classic and 3 Service Stars haven't shrunk a bit and god knows we have had some serious rain!