To Build a Better Biltmore.

[Matt Deckard]

I went to the Magic clothing expo in Vegas this week and got to meet and greet and shake hands woth those in the current hatting industries more well known companies.

One of the cooler guys I got to speak with is the President of Biltmore hats, Mr. Eric Lynes.

He had an interesting story of how the company was going into recievership two years ago and he decided to take it over. Now they are delving into the past and trying to recreate and produce the best hats on the market. I was told that not only do they want to go back to the quality, they want to go back to the styles. They have had several old employees stop by and tell them how the machinery used to be set up, and how they used to inspect the hats before they would hit the stores. What they had on site was impressive as they weren't the run of the mill hats I usually see at retail shops. Looks like the quality of the felt is stepping up a bit. With a man at the helm that likes hats I think we're going to see some good things. I mentioned heavily of course my love of the 30's high crowns... he's more of a stingy brim fellow. Great conversation and a brand that looks like it was saved from demise by a hat lover.

I was happy to see one of their newr models which is sold open crown with the high crown and wider brim... very old school. I was told it was a copy of one of their 30's models.

Eric and I

 

[Rick Blaine]

That Hat is a PIP!

... where & when will it be retailed?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Well, he ran into the right fellow. I am surprised he didn't sign you on for a consulting job!

I will keep a look out and see what they produce. He could learn a lot from you and from the volumes of information here at The Lounge.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I think I can learn alot more from him... he's the one who owns the business.

 

[BigSho]

While I agree that Biltmore wasn't fdoing so well when they were in recievership 2 years ago its decline didn't have anythign to do with ta decline in the quality of the hats. Biltmore lost money off od it purchase of a womans hat manufacturer called Kate's Millinary, and trying to stretch their resources to thin. Biltmore has always been one of the highest quality hats dollar for dollar at least for the last 5 years. Unlike stetson and dobbs I have never had to question the quality of the hats they sent me in the store (where as I have had to send back whole shipments of stetsons and dobbs). The cool thing abou Biltmore is that you are also not bound by a catalog that they send you every year. They are wonderful enough to let you design your own hats in an essence. Granted yes they have to have the blocks to make the crowns that you want, you can still choose felt, a wide variety of colors, brim size, band, band color, and the edge on the brim. They even make an open crown hat that is pretty nice, and I am suprised no one mentions on this site with all the open road lovers here. So if you like Biltmore and you like thier felts they can probably make waht you want, and I might be able to help you get it. Anyway I can ramble on about Biltmore and how great they are but I would probably go one for while . . . . . .

Jeremy
http://www.hats-plus.com

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I think I can learn alot more from him... he's the one who owns the business.

Oh, I'm sure you would on the technical side, but were I running a business making a broad range of hats, I would find it helpful to have some one around who was passionate about what a classic hat should look and feel like, and, most importantly, what would appeal to my clientele; if indeed he wishes to appeal to lovers of vintage hats.

 

[Visigoth]

Surely Mr. Lynes should join us on the Lounge.

Did you suggest it?

 

[feltfan]

They even make an open crown hat that is pretty nice

Okay, so you and Matt have mentioned this open crown hat.
Which model is it, where is it available, and how is the felt?
Where can we see pictures? Matt says it has a,
"high crown and wider brim". Sounds interesting.

I wonder if Matt got to talk to anyone from Stetson
at the show?

 

[tonyb]

Couldn't agree with you more on that "Golden Era" style preference, Matt. Part of what has me steering clear of most modern factory hats (aside from the spotty-at-best quality) is the styling. Here's hoping Mr. Lynes and company much success with their more traditionally styled lids.

 

[BigSho]

Feltfan I am not sure if Matt and I are talking about the same hat. But the one I have is classified under the Biltmore Wilderness line of hats. The felt itself is soft but somewhat heavy, and would definetly need a steam to get a bash to stay in it. I will post pictures of it tomorrow so you guys can see what it looks like.

Jeremy
http://www.hats-plus.com

 

[Matt Deckard]

The one I am talking about is a full uncreased Open Road style hat with the narrow ribbon and narrow binding on the edge. It's open crowned and that is what I like. High crown and open. Now if they would do it in grey or brown with a wider ribbon it would work well with those suits Brooks Brothers and Raplph Lauren are selling. It's the hiher crown that is missing from the shelves nowadays.

 

[tonyb]

The one I am talking about is a full uncreased Open Road style hat with the narrow ribbon and narrow binding on the edge. It's open crowned and that is what I like. High crown and open. Now if they would do it in grey or brown with a wider ribbon it would work well with those suits Brooks Brothers and Raplph Lauren are selling. It's the hiher crown that is missing from the shelves nowadays.

Sounds like the same style as one I have, which I bought new a few years ago (seven or eight years ago, I think it was) and to which I have alluded here before. It's very much of the old Stetson Open Road/Borsalino Alessandria style -- tall-crowned, with a narrow ribbon and brim-edge binding, etc. I bought it with an open crown and it looked darn nice when it was new. Alas, repeated exposure to the elements left the crown dimpled and the brim wavy.
The lining says it's from the Wilderness line, as BigSho mentioned. And, yes, the felt is kinda heavy. I just wish it held up better. Maybe the newer ones are more weather-worthy. Hope so.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Hmm. We'll see. I saw a new one and it's not a way to tell how the hat will take the elements.

First time I saw that model from Biltmore. One of the ones Eric introduced whn he took over is a felt version of the straw hat he is wearing in the pic. He's also big on reintroducing the multicolored ribbons.

 

[gimmesomeshelte]

Matt-

I have to ask - where do you get the hat you wear in your avatar? I really like the color combination.

Thanks.

P-

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

The one thing I don't like about vintage hats is (with rare exception) the limited color selection. I'd love to see some modern hats in classic style and quality, but in a wider range of colors, like blues, greens and even lavenders.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

The one thing I don't like about vintage hats is (with rare exception) the limited color selection. I'd love to see some modern hats in classic style and quality, but in a wider range of colors, like blues, greens and even lavenders.

Levine hats has an interesting model in blue -
http://www.levinehat.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=7

 

[feltfan]

The one thing I don't like about vintage hats is (with rare exception) the limited color selection. I'd love to see some modern hats in classic style and quality, but in a wider range of colors, like blues, greens and even lavenders.

Just keep fishin'. I have two very different blue vintage fedoras,
a navy homburg, four fedoras in different greens, including one
grey/green, and so on. Doesn't JP have a Champ in lavender?

I would actually argue there are at least as many colors in vintage
hats, if not more (and let's not talk about 70s hats). More importantly,
the colors are sometimes deeper and last longer.
They used dyes and processes we can't use anymore.
And sometimes taste that modern factory hat makers don't
have anymore.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Well, I'll probably be using my inability to find a vintage blue or mint green fedora as an excuse to order my first Art Fawcett hat. lol

 

[Matt Deckard]

My avatar hat is vintage... hence the burnt orange colored band and the tan felt. They were all about cominations back then. Sometimes the brown and grey day to day just gets boring.

 

[besdor]

Biltmore

Matt , I wish I had met you at the show . I went for one day to Magic and had to get back to my stores .
I will give Biltmore a lot of credit . If you went to one of the Magic shows a few years ago , all of the hat people were in the back of the show . The hat guys new where they were so it wa no problem to find them . But the clothing retailers never went that far into the back so the hat people were always the last to do business and they always compained that the turnout sucked . Biltmore decided to get into the "mix" of things and set up in between the other clothing vendors and it paid off. Now that Eric Lynes is in charge , I think we will see a new direction for the company . They will still make what the stores want but the focus is on more of an ethnic trade and stingy brims circa 1960's .


Steven
bencrafthats.com