It is Uncharted; a daring collaboration from two of the world’s great hatmakers. Hatmosphere, by New Zealand’s Hills Hats (est. 1875) and Goorin Bros, America’s Bold Hatmakers (est. 1895) are joining forces to design and make fresh, extroverted Uncharted hats.
Hills Hats first connected with Goorin Bros making Oilskin, Deer Nappa and technical fabric Hydrotex hats for their label three years ago. The potential to expand into uncharted territory followed visits to each other’s factories, sharing specialist hatmaking knowledge, skills and ideas like mad scientists.
“Uncharted is an opportunity to reach beyond the norm for both retailers and customers,” said Hatman, aka Simon Smuts-Kennedy, from Hills Hats. “Our hats will shock, entertain, and make people giddy with excitement.”
Hatman’s Uncharted collection will be based on one off master pieces featuring the finest faux furs, Italian leathers, cashmere wool and signature satin linings. Goorin Bros are busy collating their Unchartered collection, made in Newark.
Ben Goorin said Uncharted will be “punchy and ever evolving”.
Uncharted hats will be released in early December 2017 in selected Goorin stores across America and in hat specialist stores in New Zealand and Australia.
The backbone of Hills Hat’s Wellington factory was in making uniform hats. This has steadily turned into a high-end fashion department, running with Hatman’s combination of classic designs, elaborate fabrics and twisting traditional silhouettes. Hatman’s persona has evolved from adventures worldwide, wearing a mask and hat while armed with two suitcases of hats creating export markets in Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and America. Goorin Bros have thirty-four stand-alone stores throughout North America and are an entrenched international brand. With a growing appetite for statement hats, Uncharted will change the hat mould.
Follow their journey at www.hillshats.co.nz and www.goorinbros.com
