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Though hatters and hatteries were commonplace a century ago, the artform has slowly been dying off in modern times. Recognizing this, Willee Reed set out to reinvigorate the industry by delivering modern hats that are made from high-end materials and backed by traditional old-world craftsmanship. After cutting his teeth working under an old-school Bolivian hat maker and spending several years employed by Goorin Bros, Reed has now branched out on his own to produce handmade, small-batch hats under the banner of Hampui Hats. Beyond impressed with the overall quality and fit and finish of these handcrafted items, online retailer Huckberry has now linked up with Hampui to deliver a pair of top-shelf, limited edition hats.
Reed not only searches the globe for unique materials but also scours flea markets, bazaars, and marketplaces in an effort to find unique accents and accessory pieces to use on his hats — a signature trait that’s present on both models from the hatter’s new collaboration with Huckberry. The first of these two items has been dubbed the Talus Field Hat. Crafted from densely-felted Patagonian virgin merino wool sourced from free-range sheep, the Talus Field Hat features a black leather accent cord along with a woven hat brand sourced from Peru, a Petersham ribbon sourced from Japan, and a teardrop crown.
The second of these two limited edition hats has been christened the Canyon Lands. Like the Talus Field Hat, the Canyon Lands is primarily constructed from top-shelf densely felted Patagonian virgin merino wool, though has been decorated via a hand-tooled JJ Burton medallion that Reed stumbled across in Portland, Oregon, and a Cattleman Crease for a bit of added western flair. The Canyon Lands also sports a woven hat band sourced from Peru along with a Petersham ribbon found in Japan. Equipped with a 3¼“ brim to keep the sun out of your eyes, both hats not only look — and feel — great, but they also boast genuine heirloom quality, allowing for a lifetime of use. What’s more, both hats also naturally conform the shape of their wearer’s head over time while simultaneously developing a unique patina.
Handmade in Berkeley, California, the Huckberry x Hampui Hats Talus Field Hat and Canyon Lands Hat are both available now — albeit in extremely limited numbers — with pricing set at $355 and $370, respectively.
