Makins Hats

[BigSho]

Going along with the trendy theme that seems to be so prevalent today I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Makins. I feel like they are a trendy niche kind of hat but am not sure. I have seen a few in person and wasn't terribly impressed, but I was curious to what the loungers here thought of them.

Jeremy
Hats Plus Ltd.

 

[besdor]

As a traditional mens hat store , I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole . They are the most overpriced junk in the world . My three year old could make nicer hats!!
Thats not to say that they wont sell. I've seen them in Nordstroms and saw a man buy two with his girlfriends because she thought they were "cute". It all depends on your customer base .



Steven
Bencraft Hats

 

[WEEGEE]

had one done that

I picked one up on the auction site a few years back for 20 dollars.

I thought what a deal till in came in the mail $295 retail a savings of $275

Not!!! JUNK.

 

[Tomasso]

I have a few and while they're certainly not worth their list price, I would stop short of calling them junk. They have a unique softness to them. Were I a hat retailer, I would certainly stock them as the do seem to sell quite well.

 

[besdor]

Let me rephrase what I said earlier. While the word "junk" may seem a little too strong to describe these hats , they certainly are not worth the money . The felt hats are mearly soft felt bodies with little or no stiffening that cost wholesale 18 to 20 dollars in any millenary store . The straw bodies are similar.
There was a thread a while ago about Manny Millinery . Look it up and compare both products. They are almost the same thing .

 

[BigSho]

Steven I am with you I know what is worth what it costs and what isn't. But I guess I really wanted to know about the style more so than the quality. So I am with you on the quality the whole way it is not good at all. I like the funky tie band low profile deal they do just not the way they do it. But I do get a number of customers who ask about them. I also wont mention names but I know of an expensive custom guy who uses that 18 dollar rabbit body to make a VERY expensive hat, and he sells them quite well.

Jeremy
Hats Plus

 

[Aaron Hats]

It all depends on your customer base .

That's one of the things I like about the hat business. We each seem to have a bit of a specialty because of our local customers. I might carry a brand that bombs in my store but does great in somebody elses store or the other way around.

Aaron

 

[besdor]

Thats how people can make alot of money in this business. They buy a cheap body and put on a nice band and lining and charge 300.00 for it . Most of the womens hat business is like that .You buy a WOOL body and some nice triming and you can charge 150.00 for it . I also know a certain custom hatter who does the same thing .


Steven
Bencraft Hats

 

[BigSho]

Yeah Arron I totally agree and I love my Chicago customers they are great. We are lucky to have such an incredibly diverse set of cutomers though. I seem them all from the top to bottom. But I definetly have a lot more urban customers come in and they have their own style and I love it. You haven't seen anything until you have seen a man in a pink suit and homburg and pull it off. On the subject of that certain hatter when I found that out I was a little taken back but hey people do what they do. Womens hats are a whole other world though i dont even want to touch.

Jeremy
Hats Plus Ltd.
"If we don't have it you don't need it."

P.S. fftopic: Steven I don't know if you guys have them but I sent you a guy that is looking for a borsalino cashmere ball cap. I know you are big on borsalino so I figured maybe.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Thats how people can make alot of money in this business. They buy a cheap body and put on a nice band and lining and charge 300.00 for it . Most of the womens hat business is like that .You buy a WOOL body and some nice triming and you can charge 150.00 for it . I also know a certain custom hatter who does the same thing .


Steven
Bencraft Hats

Does he call it Sterling Rabbitt ??lol lol lol lol

 

[besdor]

Maybe!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DocBob345]

Pricing?

What, may I ask, is the average retail for a Makins fedora? I've seen some medium quality felt fedoras at Von Maur, but not at Nordstrom. I'll have to check there again some time.

Most times when I run across hats in department stores they are Baileys or Huckel. Obviously after reading this thread I'll avoid the Makins, but curiosity has me wondering how they are priced.

Thank you gentlemen,

Best,
Robert

 

[BigSho]

Most places I think that the makins would retail for between 150 and 300 bucks depending. Nordstroms is the only department store I ever see with "hats" and they are all usually bailey.

Jeremy
Hats Plus Ltd.

 

[Tomasso]

Nordstroms is the only department store I ever see with "hats" and they are all usually bailey.

In Chicago, Nordstroms carries Makin as does Paul Stuart, albeit re-branded. Field's, Saks and Neiman's have in the past and may still, I haven't looked. Ultimo and Davis for Men did, before they closed.

 

[Joedahat]

At Henry the Hatter in Detroit we carried Makins Hats for many years. Most styles sold very well. For the customer who liked the softest of felt bodies, this was a winner. Her stitched leather hats were also top sellers. I think just the styling and color combinations were ahead of their time, as almost every hat manufacturer is copying those styles today.

 

[besdor]

Henry the Hatter

Hi Joe ,
Please say hello to Paul for me . He is a nice guy to talk to overthe phone. We've known each other for years . His father was a great guy in the hat business.



Steven
Bencraft Hats

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Thats how people can make alot of money in this business. They buy a cheap body and put on a nice band and lining and charge 300.00 for it . Most of the womens hat business is like that .You buy a WOOL body and some nice triming and you can charge 150.00 for it . I also know a certain custom hatter who does the same thing .


Steven
Bencraft Hats

How about $560.00 and up.:rage:
Funny thing myself and others I know suspect one hatter that likes to call himself Master buys Biltmore's and changes out the liner and sweat and hawks it as a custom made. Buyer beware.

 

[besdor]

I wonder who could that be??????????
Im GLAD that I dont know who it is .



Steven
Bencraft Hats

 

[ortega76]

I wonder who could that be??????????
Im GLAD that I dont know who it is .



Steven
Bencraft Hats

Subtle. Very subtle.

I must admit this board saved me from the mentioned gentleman's e-bay scams when I first joined/lurked.

 

[Aaron Hats]

Yeah, do you really want to buy a hat from a guy who dickers for his wifes healthcare like he's at a Sunday morning fleamarket.