A word to the museums -- SAVE OUR HATS!

Wendy Ann Rosen

She’s a well-known Hollywood makeup artist, but to me, she’s a god-send to hatting’s history. She’s even served Cary Grant a drink once… and she pointed out he was wearing velvet slippers at the time. She’s been wearing hats since she was a child, and never stopped. Over time she began collecting them to the point where she began cataloging the art and boxes of which there are one of each left in some cases. She inundated me with a waterfall of knowledge on all the old boutique brands and designers that once were in the height of demand yet are now forgotten in time due to them being part of an industry that became a shadow of it’s goliath self. And it’s not just the hats… it’s the promotional materials, the catalogs, the displays, the posters, the branded brushes and the giant window ornamentation that would draw the eye of a shop's passerby.


She’s on a mission right now to preserve this collection and when it comes to getting the word out, it’s time voices got louder. She looks to catalog all of what she has and build a database that hopefully can showcase all of the brands and styles and what once was common knowledge to some, but now lost knowledge to all. The stories she has… the tales of the old department stores and shops that would just carry accessories. I will go back to hear more and write down more. But this message is just to say, she’s out there. She’s been a magnet for hatting history, milliner history, designer label history. And I hope to see it all carefully preserved and exhibited for the world to see. As she pointed out… the last time she saw a hat on display in a museum… it was just the hat on a stick… no reference to who made it, or images of the inside…. To us, it’s important!












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DESIGNING STETSON

I came to Texas with a mission, to redefine the something I love, to figure out how to pass that passion to everyone.

From the outset, inspired by the past and encouraged by my friends, I was able to bring back brand defining styles using the original machinery with the original hat making techniques, many dating back to the 1920s and before.

With my own archives, I applied elements that I loved, to redefine iconic styles to suit the fashion of the modern day. I installed in the line, pieces that could fight the trend of fast fashion, to be that item you could put on your head knowing it added rather than took away.

I reintroduced a line of women’s hats and watched as more and more styles populated the lineup, and I was proud that the factory could visibly see a change happening when the floor that was covered in racks of cowboy hats day in day out, turned into a sea of red as Marvel’s Agent Carter hit the airwaves, atop her head was a Stetson.

For the 150^th anniversary of the company, I designed a roundtable of the finest quality pieces that could be produced, knowing that these were the same steps that over a century of Stetson master hatters used to make the pronounced, yet subtly elegant look of America’s hat.

I willed into being and negotiated the return of the Iconic Manhattan Neon Stetson sign that was, and now again is, above JJ Hatcenter on Fifth Avenue.

Exotic locations, extraordinary situations, one day I was discussing the toquila palm crop with the Ecuadorian consulate while driving to work, the next, I was in Manhattan being tracked down by an Italian man wanting to sweep me up in his SUV, just so I could explain the fall lineup. Videoconferences with Germany at 2am, all-nighters to clean up my Japanese business etiquette because the clients are arriving early… 

I’ve made new friends here, I’ve had great adventures, and Big Tex Under the shade of his Cowboy hat has looked down at me and smiled. I went to the rodeos, to the barn dances and I got to know the kings and queens of the outlaw country scene.

I came to Texas with a mission, to redefine the something I love, to figure out how to pass that passion to everyone.

I feel that’s what I’ve done.

Of all the endeavors I’ve set my sights on, this one, being the Creative Director of Stetson’s dress hats was one of the most fulfilling. Now, I need to move to my next adventure, and that begins by steeping myself in my hometown of Los Angeles. Reconnecting with my closest, and taking in that warmth of what is my city.

Yours in hatting,

Joseph C. Brandstetter