If I tell you there is a hat that can be worn at least 20 years. Do you believe that?

Hats are not only fashion accessories, but also the cultural flag. Each classic hat has a brandy legendary story behind it.  Today, we, Aung Crown – a 25+ years manufacturer of custom hat & clothing since 1998, will introduce a brand – Borsalino. Not a bag, apparel, or jewelry brand, it’s a legendary hat brand that is called the most excellent hat making brand in Italy.

Borsalino

English name: Borsalino

Chinese name: 博尔萨利诺

Original nation: Italy

Founded time: 1857

Main products: Specializing in the manufacture of luxury hats

Brand History

In 1850, 16-year-old Giuseppe was an apprentice in Alessandria – the local hat manufacturer. His humble attitudes and gifted talent, and demanding skills gained his instructor and other craftsmen’s appreciations. After he finished his apprenticeship, he got a job at Berteil, which was located on the oldest street in Le Marais. He worked at Berteil for 6 years, gaining lots of skill and expertise in hat manufacturing.

After quitting his job at Berteil, Giuseppe returned to his hometown and opened a hat-making workshop with his brother, Lazzaro, named after his name – Borsalino Giuseppe E Fratello S.A. After 15 years of development, this little workshop became a big factory with over hundreds of employees and could make 1,500 pieces of hand-made hats per week. This talented craftsman in the hat industry led the trends and revolution of the whole industry by his unique, novel design inspirations. His well-known gentleman high-top hats became the symbol of elegant gentlemen in the 19th century in Europe. What’s more, many middle-class people regarded this hat as the symbol of their class.

After Giuseppe’s death, his son took over the family business. Up to now, besides hats, Borsalino has a venture into fashion, neckties, watches, perfume, and other fields, and has set up branch offices in Europe and the US.

Why Choose Borsalino

In fact, prices of Borsalino hats are not affordable at all and the average price of each hat is from €200 to €500. But to be honest, each thread and sew of each hat is worth its price, and even over the price. What’s more, if you can keep it properly, then it’s very possible to be a valuable collective hat.

1. Delicate Hand-made Crafts

Borsalino has insisted that each hat should be made by the hands of craftsmen. The whole process needs at least 50 complex hand-made steps, which takes about two months to make it. Compared to hats made by machines in the industrial era, Borsalino hats totally made by hand are much more sophisticated and finer, integrating human’s insistence and durability. Therefore, such a hat should earn its appreciation from all.

Borsalino has still used the ancient machines produced in 1857, and all the crafts and skills also follow the hat-making theory of Giuseppe Borsalino. In Borsalino, all the craftsmen have over 20 years of experience in hat-making and some of them even follow in their father’s footsteps to make hats. The unique technique that makes Borsalino stand out from other brands is that craftsmen use adamantium and squalene to polish hats to achieve the best state of hats.  After polishing, hats are half done in the process, and half-done hats will be sent to boutiques. In general, half-done hats are coned shapes without decorations and the final shaping is done in boutiques. Such a way can enhance the interaction between stores and consumers. Moreover, consumers can customize their favored colors or patterns, and even add a necktie made by consumers.

2. Premium and Picky Choose of Materials

Borsalino is picky about the materials that it chooses to make its hats. Usually, Borsalino chooses the materials for its hats after many fine selections to get the best glass stems. Unlike other hat-making brands, Borsalino uses adamantium and squalene to polish hats to get the perfect effects.

3. Interactions with Consumers

Interaction with consumers is the special feature of Borsalino hats. Similar to other traditional Italian hand-made workshops, Borsalino is the first one to send half-done hats to its boutiques. Half-done hats are coned shapes without decorations, and the final shaping is done in boutiques. In fact, the final shaping step is done in its boutiques. For example, the main product – Panama hats, and consumers can choose their favored decorations on the surface. In such a way, it can enhance its consumers’ friendly side and also can improve the interaction with its consumers.

Fashionistas Favor

Since it was founded in 1875, Borsalino hats have been favored by celebrities, politicians, and stars, such as classic Fedoras, straw Panamas, yuppie flat hats, and elegant Audrey Hats.

Here are the examples of them, please have a look.

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the film Casablanca

Alain Delon in the film Borsalino

Alain Delon and Jean Paul Belmondo & Victoria Beckham

Kate Moss & Brad Pitt

Johnny Depp & Michael Jackson

Chiara Ferragni

Anna Mouglalis, Diane Kruger, Robert Downey, and Jude Law

Former President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano & Italian designer and fashionista – Giotto Calendoli & Italian fashion blogger – Chiara Biasi

Recommending Hot Series

Fedora Hats

Panama Hats

Flat Hats

Audrey Hats & Parasisal Hats

Panama Hats

Many people believe that the name Panama represents its origin.

However, in fact, the Andean town of Monte Cristo is the best origin place of producing Panama hats. It’s not the only case that people in Monte Cristo regard hat making as being as detailed and delicate as Italians. Moreover, they usually take 3 months to make a great Panama hat. There are 20 levels of hats and the best one is called “fino” that must be woven at dusk. The best Panama hat is over £2,000. Having such a hat, it is worth the best storage and treats.

A piece of expensive hat has its valuable reasons. Raw materials for making Panama hats are toquilla palms that contain rich stem fibers. Therefore, Panama hats made from toquilla straws are very soft, fine, durable, and smooth, which isn’t like those made from dry straws. It’s woven tightly and finely. If the woven density per each inch is lower than 100, this is the lowest level standard, and for the highest level, the woven density per each inch should be from 1600 to 2500. Therefore, the denser and finer the texture, the higher level of the hat.

You don’t need to worry about the deformation of this type of Panama hat forever. Usually, hat sellers will give you a small wooden tube that is made from oak with gilded carving textures and the manufacturer’s name on it. Then, you can roll up your Panama hat like white paper to put it into the oak tube. Usually, the oak tube is as big as a ring. After several days, you open the oak tube and take your Panama hat out without deformation and wrinkles.

In the End

To be honest, Borsalino hats are suitable for ladies who pursue lady-like looks or gentleman styles. Although the price is not cheap, when it’s on sale, there are discounts to get one for about €100, which is a very nice chance for those who want to get one at a low budget. No matter whether you are matching it with summer shirts and sunglasses or winter coats and long boots, Borsalino hats are worth trying.