Hatventures in Andalucía

[Huertecilla]

Today I went to Granada to visit Miroc; an artesanal hatmaker with both an atelier and shop on the fringe of the old centre of Granada (the capital of the province Granada in the state of Andalucía, in the country of Spain, on the iberian penisula in the southwest of the European continent).

Less chilly than yesterday when there was frost on the gound so with heater blowing hot air it was quite ok with ragtop down. I is só much more enjoyable to travel in the open air and smell where you are driving through/past.
I lóve it when past Sant Fé the damp morning air is filled with the fragrance of olives, wood, the rivers etc. when we pass the large, open structures for drying cigar leaves.
Although we live in the mountains, those are dwarfed by the snow capped range that towers over Granada.

We park the car undeground just outside of the centre and walk though the 19th C. rich part to the oldest, truely ancient part on the westside below the Alhambra; the realejo.
Beautifull old buildings and intriguing details are all around you:

First we need to be in the realejo for some artwork; my company has asked me along for moral support.
Although there is no nudity, I do not know how puritan this forum or the surroundings are, no photo alas. Just art will do.


Folowing that we had a tatsy VERY affordable bite on a terrace ´under´ the Alhambra before the next stop.

Next stop is hatmakers Miroc.

It is a small but well sorted shop offering typical, traditional spanish headwear ánd ´modern´ western european hats from felt to ´panama´ straw.

end of part one

 

[Huertecilla]

part two


Apart from the straw and cheap cotton ones, they make all hats themselves. The felt comes mainly for a factory in Sevilla but the rest they do themselves.
They use Merino wool, hair and rabbit from pure to blends in various finishes.
I have only handled a limited amount of different felts so I will not comment on the quality of it.

The ´modern´top model they had in the shop was 100 hare. Light, strong, flexible felt that did not crease and returned to shape nicely. The inside is quite ok too for a 90 Euro hat but ..... the edge was a huge turnoff. Folded inward and stitched.
It´s same priced collegue with a raw edge was WAY better:

My company has a liberal fun side as well as a véry disciminate one as to quality and she was apalled by this what she considered crude folded edge finish.
Better buy something vintage.
She was right ofcourse but is would be too simple and not correct to dismiss the products on offer by this alone.
The Merino hats were as rugged and crushable as hat come and looked quite tight at only 65 Euros!!
There was a suprisingly varied offering of ´long haried´ hats which looked really well finished apart from the unfortunate edge.

Unexpectedly, the traditional Spanish headwear on offer makes a visit well worth on its own. At the same price leverl, the finish was at least as good and all authetic traditional.
I have not seen traditional spanish hatwear at even néarly the same value for money.

A wee bit disappointed about no hat bought, we walk into a shoe shop next door. 30-50% discount calls us in as I do need a pair of neatish good shoes.
I am drawn to

and fit them on. Quite nice and they look good too in my humble size 40 1/2.

My company however has a nack of picking out the best stuff blindfold so pointed to the only three handmade ones in the shop...

I foolishly tried on the one furthest away. Although not my preferred style they looked quite ok and the fit/quality was such that at the discounted price I just could not buy any other.

The parking is under a pleasant square. Today eating an ice-cream on a sunny bench with great views was quality time. You can júst make out the Sierra Nevada in the background of the street at the right.

 

[scotrace]

That's a great shopping trip. Better to refuse a hat that isn't going to make you happy - especially if you get some great shoes. Bonus! Thanks for these great images!

 

[mayserwegener]

Great photo series. There is also ISESA in Seville. This company goes back to 1885.

http://www.isesa.es/principal.html

 

[Huertecilla]

Great photo series. There is also ISESA in Seville. This company goes back to 1885.

http://www.isesa.es/principal.html

Yes, that is the source for felt for Miroc.

I have already have been in contact with Isesa and the plan is to visit both their museum and the factory.
They are a hair in, hat out manufacturer.
An interestting fact is that Isesa would not exist today as an all in house manufacturer, would not be profitable, without the 12.500 hats annually they produce for the orthodox jewish societies.

 

[mayserwegener]

That is also the case for TONAK and to some degree Borsalino (plus other smaller Euro companies).

I believe ISESA might be involved with the Adventurebuilt Henry.

 

[Huertecilla]

I believe ISESA might be involved with the Adventurebuilt Henry.

I will put it on my list of questions.

 

[ManofKent]

Nice write up - thanks for sharing.

 

[Huertecilla]

That's a great shopping trip. Better to refuse a hat that isn't going to make you happy - especially if you get some great shoes. Bonus! Thanks for these great images!

With 20/20 hindsight I should have bought bóth pairs of shoes but the plus side of not having done so is a reason to go again soon.
It is a bit unfortunate that andalucian night life does not start untill midnight, otherwise I would pop by this friday or saturday. There is a restaurant with live music http://www.alexisviernes.es/musicaenvivo.htm which is just about perfect for a romantic night out. One, man and woman, can even wear a hat there.

 

[besdor]

Having visited many hat factories over the years, I have to say that Isesa is the cleanest hat factory you will ever find. The plant is fairly new , having moved from the center of Seville some years ago. If you visit, ask for Miguel Gutierrez. He is the manager . A very nice person.

 

[Huertecilla]

Having visited many hat factories over the years, I have to say that Isesa is the cleanest hat factory you will ever find. The plant is fairly new , having moved from the center of Seville some years ago. If you visit, ask for Miguel Gutierrez. He is the manager . A very nice person.

Thanks.
I will ask for him on the phone and make an appointment with the agenda adjusted to when he will be present.

Here is an informative article about them published in El Mundo:

http://www.elmundo.es/suplementos/magazine/2007/413/1187974610.html

Do have a look too at the two ´appendices´.

Oh, and imo most striking of all: «y siempre que a los chinos no les dé por poner de moda una prenda con piel de conejo. Comprarían muchísima materia prima y a nosotros se nos encarecería la producción». Desgraciadamente, una tónica habitual.
Mind, written in 2007!

 

[-30-]

Another nice "Dig" at the modern Borsalino!
(In more ways than one.)

"Until then it is supplied with those afflicted by the Italian firm Borsellino, but the quality of this factory had lowered level."
(sic)

LOL

Regards,
J T

 

[Huertecilla]

..and that they are suppliers to Lock for top $ hats.

 

[Huertecilla]

Ok, I have called the shoe shop to put the boots away.

I am going back to get them and combine it with a tapas route; www.tapasengranada.es
Not sure with whom yet, but with sómeone charming.

 

[Huertecilla]

THAT was a thoroughly enjoyable evening with very affordable culinary nourishment in great company and the second pair of shoes;

They made me think of the first practical application of the zipper:

"From the foregoing statements it must be obvious that a shoe equipped with my device has all the advantages peculiar to a lace-shoe, while at the same time it is free from the annoyances hitherto incidental to lace-shoes on account of the lacing and unlacing required every time the shoes were put on of taken off the feet and on account of the lacing-strings coming untied. With my device the lacing-strings may be adjusted from time to time to take up the slack in the shoes, and the shoes may be fastened or loosened more quickly than any other form of shoe hitherto devised, so far as I am aware." - Whitcomb L. Judson 1893

 

[Huertecilla]

Hatventures ctnd.

Starting with hat shopping with a gf in Málaga, ditto in Granada ending up with shoes, some more and then the introduction to the actual guy who made the original Indy hats by The Hat Lady now two hatventures (in four parts) more:

First two snapshots from a visit to a jazz club;

I am wearing a cotton tailored jacket over a waisted cotton shirt, a high waist pants over suede dress boots and a dated 1939 Glynn hat.
In llight of the above it is noteworthy that Glynn was located at Old Bond Street whereas the Indy hatter had his premises at New Bond Street. It made me realise that this makes the Writer an old english hat really...

 

[Huertecilla]

Next morning we went on route early to see the opening of the Feria de Perros by a rehala walking the óóóld centre of Archidona.
Note the flat cap. Later more; lóts more...

 

[DJH]

... and then the introduction to the actual guy who made the original Indy hats

C'mon Huerto - we need the rest of the story!

Is Richard Swales now an expat living on the Costa Retiree, complete with Herbert Johnson Panama hat, sandals and his socks pulled up? Tell me it's not true!!

 

[Huertecilla]

Under the hat

C'mon Huerto - we need the rest of the story!

Is Richard Swales now an expat living on the Costa Retiree, complete with Herbert Johnson Panama hat, sandals and his socks pulled up? Tell me it's not true!!

That will have to wait till I have it complete. At least untill after I have been to the villa, seen the resting equipment et al.
Néxt though is the trip to Gibraltar concert.
Not enough tíme...

The continuance of thís thread´s hatventures meanwhile is in obra and depending on the coöperation of the connection up in the mountains here.

 

[T Jones]

C'mon Huerto - we need the rest of the story!

Is Richard Swales now an expat living on the Costa Retiree, complete with Herbert Johnson Panama hat, sandals and his socks pulled up? Tell me it's not true!!

You can't help but like the guy somehow. He's definitely entertaining with all his stories, even if he is full of crap!