Italian hat Retailers in US?

[new2hats]

Anyone know of US retailers or suppliers of Barbisio hats and Panizza? RMR is the only retailer in Italy that I can see, but the shipping is crazy (plus customs I'm sure).

It seems like the fedora hat industry is fizzling out...

 

[Mulceber]

Honestly, Fedoras are on the rise. You're just looking in the wrong country. The USA makes the best hats in the world today, bar none. -M

 

[new2hats]

I would love for that to be true. Looking at U.S. sites like 'Hats Plus', and several others, I see that there are lots of hat lines being discontinued, and hat companies going out of business. People still look at me funny when I wear my hats out.

Don't get me wrong, I am pro hat industry. Its just that as far as fur felt hats, the ones that I like seem to be out of reach.

 

[mayserwegener]

Honestly, Fedoras are on the rise. You're just looking in the wrong country. The USA makes the best hats in the world today, bar none. -M

Yes for custom makes but not production hats.

 

[danofarlington]

Closest retailer to those brands, in my guess, is Salmangudi of Boston.

 

[Mulceber]

Yes for custom makes but not production hats.

I dunno, I tend not to give modern production hats much attention anymore, since the quality (with a few exceptions) just isn't there. Plus, why would one spend $150-$200 on a low quality production hat when for that money, one could either buy vintage on ebay or check out some of the less expensive custom hatters. Either of these options would give you a far nicer hat. I guess I'm just encouraging new2hats to look into other options. -M

 

[mayserwegener]

The original poster might have thought you meant Stetson or other American production hat makers.

 

[Mulceber]

True that. I probably should have been more clear.

 

[besdor]

Barbisio / Cervo didnt work out for the US market. Panizza makes medium quality at best. If you want Italian, theres only Borsalino ..

 

[new2hats]

I don't own any Borsalinos. However, browsing through the lounge threads and picking up comments diffusely, it seems like the quality of Borsalinos is not good. That goes for the newer Stetsons as well. I really like the look of a Barbisio hat (brown with black ribbon with small brim), and the soft grey color of the panizza ediston. These seem to be more of "me" rather than other hats I commonly see on the websites.

I want to get another hat with a different color than my dark grey Christys trilby, but am finding it hard to choose one. Especially since there is no way to pick up a hat, try it on, feel it, etc. There are no fedora hat stores down here in SC, not even sure which neighboring state may have a store.

 

[new2hats]

Closest retailer to those brands, in my guess, is Salmangudi of Boston.

Thanks dan, will check out their website.

 

[danofarlington]

You might plan e-mail or phone contact too. The owner is responsive and a hat buff. It may be that the Italian hats you seek are not in stock, but I know from conversations last year with them that they know what Barbisio is, and they get these hats in. So even if the website doesn't have it, the owner can probably do a good job of helping you.

 

[mayserwegener]

I really like the look of a Barbisio hat (brown with black ribbon with small brim), and the soft grey color of the panizza ediston. These seem to be more of "me" rather than other hats I commonly see on the websites.

The hats you are looking at on RMR in many cases are old Stock from the 1960s and 1970s. This is the case with the Panizza Ediston which was made at the old Panizza factory (closed in the late 1970s). There is no production hat of this quality made today.

 

[new2hats]

I wonder : if they are vintage, and high quality- why are they still available from a retailer?

 

[mayserwegener]

I good number of hat stores in Europe have old stock. Hats became less popular in the 1960s so stores were left with old stock they couldn't move. RMR just decided to make them available were as most shops have them hidden away.

 

[new2hats]

I good number of hat stores in Europe have old stock. Hats became less popular in the 1960s so stores were left with old stock they couldn't move. RMR just decided to make them available were as most shops have them hidden away.

So- get em before their gone?

Do you know what other (hidden) costs there are besides: shipping and customs?

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes. RMR shipping costs are very high and subject to a custom fee because they use UPS. The hats have 2 inch brims or less so not popular on this board but they are in most cases (the 1960/70s Barbisio, Panizza, Barbisio, Hückel, ect.) very high quality.

 

[new2hats]

Yes. RMR shipping costs are very high and subject to a custom fee because they use UPS. The hats have 2 inch brims or less so not popular on this board but they are in most cases (the 1960/70s Barbisio, Panizza, Barbisio, Hückel, ect.) very high quality.

Thanks mayserwegener, really appreciate your input.

 

[DJH]

I don't own any Borsalinos. However, browsing through the lounge threads and picking up comments diffusely, it seems like the quality of Borsalinos is not good.

Like many of the members here, I don't buy modern production hats (other than one Akubra I own), but if I did, it would be Borsalino for sure. From my reading of the forums, the modern Borsalinos may not be of the same quality as their vintage ones but are still well ahead of most of the competing hat companies.

You can check out most of the modern hat brands on besdor's site, Bencraft Hats. I must admit, I've been tempted by Bencraft's Borsalino Alessandria more than once

 

[Dan Allen]

Now that the modern Borsalino Alessandria has been mentioned, I have a question. Does the modern version have much taper? I have been eye balling that hat but have not seen on in the flesh.