On a lark I decided to go full island and buy myself a Panama hat. It kinda sets you apart, even…read morehere in Hawaii. You can wear these with a snazzy business or leisure suit, or island shirt and shorts, clubbing or shopping it looks great either way.
I was fortunate enough to wander into this lovely little store full of nothing but... Panama hats! Plus some feathers, a few handbags and accessories, but mostly hats, hats, and more hats.
Plus a couple lovely and personable assistants, Amy and Ray, both knowledgeable and helpful suggesting which ones looked good on me, and the subtle differences between one style and another. Who knew there were so many different styles of Panama hat?
The store is arranged horizontally kind of like a fancy bar is vertically. Nothing is inexpensive here, the hundreds of hats on display start at about $200 near the entrance and reach $600 to $900 by the back of the store. They're all handmade in the same way, but the more expensive ones have a tighter and more even weave, more intricate weave patterns and designs, maybe a more refined shape.
Plus there's a small glass case with the Louis Tres and Hennessy Paradis of hats, like the alcohol those hats are $1,000 and up. Unlike those big luxury brands these are the real deal, all handmade in Ecuador (where Panama hats are made) by a network of artisan craftspeople, seemingly related to a small company named Truffaux that has similar shops in Australia.
You're in luxury territory the moment you step in but they don't cater to the ultra high end collector and antique hats that can go for many thousands of dollars. So it's hats for millionaires not billionaires, or just people who want a hat they can treasure.
I splurged for a Montecristo hat, one of the nicest, and it makes me feel like a million to wear it and read up on all about the history, lore, and origin of these hats.
