Hats are an essential and stylish accessory, yet many people only wear them for functional purposes like staying warm or protecting their hair from the weather. It can be a collector’s item, something used to represent your favorite teams, or even a souvenir that you pick up when you visit a certain place. Here, you’ll find some of the best picks whether you reach for a classic wide-brim hat, cool beanie, or a vintage newsboy cap. Whether you’re bundling up or adding some pop to your look, these 6 Black-owned hat brands have you covered.
1. Straw and Wool
Straw and Wool specializes in fedoras and flat caps (or newsboys). The hats are designed by 15 to 20 different brands and come in a variety of styles. Straw and Wool, one of Phoenix’s premier Black-owned businesses, captured the national spotlight when they featured alongside other small brands as part of ESPN’s Championing Black Businesses initiative during the 2023 NBA Finals. Despite opening during a tumultuous time in 2020, Ali Nervis and Henry Dickerson have become a mainstay in the bustling Roosevelt Row Arts District area. The founders have always had a love for style and each has had their individual experience with selling men’s accessories independently for several years.
2. Fruition Hat Company
This Atlanta-based Hat company, Fruition is well known for its quality. Bryan Chatman and Stanzel Jackson started the company in 2018. Fruition is a lifestyle hat brand that encourages freedom of expression through style and accessories; with no boundaries attached. Their hat shop features hat styles such as fedora, wide brim, boater, top hat, flat caps, Panama, derby, porkpie, bolero, godfather, bowler, and trilby styles.
3. Monrowe NYC
Monrowe NYC is a unisex line of ready-to-wear hats, made in the USA and created for the bold at heart. Strong, structured silhouettes. Nostalgic tones. The sort of extraordinary details inherent in expert craftsmanship. Inspired by her grandfather, Dani Evans created a hat line that combines the 40’s and 50’s Jazz Era with Classic Western Shapes. Strike a pose and leave an impression with a fedora from Monrowe NYC. They partnered with J. Crew on an exclusive collection of summer accessories with a free-spirited twist, Made in Italy, these timeless classics will be part of your closet for ages to come.
4. Frances Grey Hats
Frances Grey, created by Debbie Lorenzo, is a luxury millinery brand that handcrafts hats in New York City. Each design embodies simplicity and a timeless sophistication. Lorenzo began working with organizations for social good, supporting women, children, and seniors. Not one to rest on her laurels, she simultaneously enrolled in New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology’s millinery program to pursue another passion, cultivate her curiosity, and learn how to develop her design ideas. This creative energy awakened her love of textiles, color, fashion, and hats.
5. Wear Brims
Co-founded by longtime friends Archie Clay III and Tajh Crutch in 2016, Wear Brims is a luxury hat company that celebrates their culture, family roots, and owning your confidence. The Royal Fox V2 Wool Hat comes in a bright orange color that will add flare to any outfit. It’s made with hand-blocked wool and accented with a fun blue velvet bow. Wear Brims was the first Black-owned hat company sold at Nordstrom, marking a huge success for the brand and also located in Neiman Marcus.
6. Layd
Layd is a fashion-forward, function-centric, headwear and haircare company, and they believe sacrificing the health of your hair for style should not be the norm, and we’re determined to prove this. Layd’s designs are intentionally minimal in ornamentation, yet high in quality. No matter what trends come and go, their hats will sustainably remain a staple in your wardrobe. The perfect essential to complement all personal styles. This innovative brand is bringing both fashion and function in its stylish, yet classic headwear with removable silk linings. The zip-out high-quality silk lining not only protects your hair from the friction of coarse fibers like wool and cotton but also allows you to wash and dry the lining to keep your strands buildup-free.
Source
Boitumelo Masihleho is a South African digital content creator. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes University in Journalism and Media Studies and Politics and International Studies.
She’s an experienced multimedia journalist who is committed to writing balanced, informative and interesting stories on a number of topics. Boitumelo has her own YouTube channel where she shares her love for affordable beauty and lifestyle content.
