Christy's: Gone, but to return?

[Edward]

On a whim during an afternoon teabreak, I just looked up the Christy's Website to see if it was coming up. In early January, it was just showing a holding page promising an exciting new website soon.

Alas, it looks like all was not well behind the scenes: https://christys-hats.com/?aw_affid=3242&awc=25604_1770222163_0848a7d9b4d30c51ab3fc98d2eb16dc7

This holding page at time of posting confirms the business has "ceased trading". It also reports that it is in the hands of new owners and promises a new website soon. We can but hope that it does recover. While I'm seeing more brimmed hats ow in London than twenty years ago, it's also fair to say a goodly proportion of those are more affordable, wool items (moreso on women), so that may have hurt them. Christy's often didn't get a lot of love from hat people, though in my experience they have always been very respectable and held their own against the likes of Bates (now owned by Hilditch & Key), at a significantly lower price tag. It would be a shame if they disappeared entirely. Not least as the Christy's Monk was one of very few furfelt porkpie options readily available in these parts.

 

[belfastboy]

My city, Vancouver has only one hat shop and it has devolved over the years to being directed more towards inexpensive, tourist hats, ....cheap wools, straws and ladies fashion hats. 25 years ago it was more a legit hat shop. Christies were their top of the line offering, then Akubra and the Canadian maker, Magill.

 

[jeffgarf]

I do hope that, like Borsalino eight or nine years ago, they can rise from the ashes. The legacy makers, their continued existence and relevance show newcomers, those whose only hats are wool and those not yet comfortable with hat - wearing that there is a heritage and an artform to this thing we do, of which anyone can be a part. It is worth it in the face of modernity and progress.

 

[GHT]

Based on information available as of early 2026, Christy & Co Ltd (trading as Christys' Hats) ceased trading and went into liquidation, with the company dissolved as of January 2023.
Here are the key details regarding the status of the brand:
Liquidation/Ceased Trading: The former business entity, Christy & Co Ltd, entered a Creditors Voluntary Winding-Up (liquidation) in 2022 and was officially dissolved in early 2023.
Brand Acquisition: The Christys' London brand and website were acquired by new owners.
Current Status (Relaunch): The new owners are working towards a relaunch, as indicated by a notice on their official website.
Customer Issues: Recent customer reviews have reported significant issues with orders, including money taken but items not dispatched and non-responsive customer service.
Manufacturing: The brand historically manufactured in Witney, Oxfordshire, and as of March 2023, was still associated with that factory, according to a Walpole membership announcement.

 

[Buick]

I only have one hat from Christy’s, and it’s this Harris Tweed cap. Love the material and style, but the fit is not quite ideal for me, so it’s remained unworn. I’m usually a medium, as this is, (57-58) but I find this particular cap feels a bit like it perches on top of my head rather than having my head ‘in’ it - if that makes sense? Likely just down to my preferences.

Hope that the new owners do the brand justice.

 

[Edward]

I do hope that, like Borsalino eight or nine years ago, they can rise from the ashes. The legacy makers, their continued existence and relevance show newcomers, those whose only hats are wool and those not yet comfortable with hat - wearing that there is a heritage and an artform to this thing we do, of which anyone can be a part. It is worth it in the face of modernity and progress.

I hope so. It'd be a shame if one of the more affordable UK brands went under. I mean it's great that Lock are still around, but I'll simply never have the money to buy a hat in there.

 

[Edward]

So, a small update and a PSA...

The demise of Christy's inspired me recently to stop just saving the link and actually buy that pork pie I'd been looking at for a long time. The PP is a hat I like with some 50s looks for a casual wear. I already have one in black (An Akubra Rap), but have long fancied a light grey and/or a midnight blue. It's a style much more commonly available in wool (and works in the same, tbf), with most furfelt options that I can readily find being limited to black and/or brown. Very pleased with the Christy's (sourced via Village Hats UK on eBay). This morning it put me in mind to check back on the Christys website and see whether I could find anything about the business sale. Their actual website still has the holding page on it, promising a pending (as yet still no date given) rebirth for the brand.

This is the actual website: https://christys-hats.com

For anyone who has chanced across this one, however - https://christyshat.com BEWARE. It's a front page that leads to this - https://www.bullantic.com/?christys+hats - a completely different brand. They are purporting to be in the UK, though selling nothing labelled as Christys. It stinks of bait and switch to me: if they were the actual new buyer of Christys, then surely they would have some link to the official site? I don't think there's anything much they offer that would appeal to established members here, but wanted to flag that one just in case anyone did get caught out, knowing Christys has changed hands.

 

[Gareth]

It is sad about the old Christys site online, I bought at least 3 of their hats and they are an old brand dating back to the 1840s. They sold me at least two all beaver fedoras at a great price, and I had at least one other fur felt. I bought my last one just before they went out of business. Here I am in a dark blue beaver fedora bought last November.

 

[jeffgarf]

 

[The Shoe]

Good news on my Christys' purchase. The credit card company came through for me and I got my money back.

 

[Edward]

View attachment 773197

This looks more promising than the last update (which as memory serves simply promised more news in January 2026). It'll be interesting to see how this shakes down. I wonder what the reference to British "cloth" entails - are they gonig to concentrate on caps and similar, or is this just a matter of bigging up the made in England side, while dancing round the fact of all furfelt bodies being imported now? Either way, be good to see the brand back on the go.

Good news on my Christys' purchase. The credit card company came through for me and I got my money back.

Good stuff. It's easy to lose out in this sort of situation. CC chargeback helps a lot. (Don't know how it works in the US, but here in the UK they've long been obligated to pay you back in the event of a legitimate complaint and then chase the source of the problem themselves. All bar a nominal initial amount the customer has to cover, though that's usually waived by the cc companies as a business retention cost.)

 

[The Shoe]

Good stuff. It's easy to lose out in this sort of situation. CC chargeback helps a lot. (Don't know how it works in the US, but here in the UK they've long been obligated to pay you back in the event of a legitimate complaint and then chase the source of the problem themselves. All bar a nominal initial amount the customer has to cover, though that's usually waived by the cc companies as a business retention cost.)

No fees for me here in Japan. I’m not sure if they were waived or they just don’t charge them.

 

[Buick]

I just received an email from Christy’s announcing their relaunch and a 30% off sale site wide. Apparently the caps are now all made in Britain, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

is it just me that feels a little hesitant until the new version of Christy’s proves themselves?

 

[jeffgarf]

I just received an email from Christy’s announcing their relaunch and a 30% off sale site wide. Apparently the caps are now all made in Britain, as someone mentioned earlier in this thread.

is it just me that feels a little hesitant until the new version of Christy’s proves themselves?

View attachment 777860

Thinking the same thing.

 

[Buick]

Thinking the same thing.

I had a look in the ‘cap’ section, and all the prices were the same. That in itself rings alarm bells for me, as I’ve seen a number of **** websites with reduced prices that are all the same. The prices in the ‘hat’ section were varied though so it‘s probably not an issue, but it‘s funny what gives a person pause in these modern times.

 

[Edward]

I had a look in the ‘cap’ section, and all the prices were the same. That in itself rings alarm bells for me, as I’ve seen a number of **** websites with reduced prices that are all the same. The prices in the ‘hat’ section were varied though so it‘s probably not an issue, but it‘s funny what gives a person pause in these modern times.

I hear you. This looks like a legit sale to me, though - I suspect what we're seeing is a clearing out of stock acquired from the previous owners with the sale of the business. Whoever got in fast enough to pick up one of the beaver felt fedoras did well - £315 isn't cheap, but when it's down from £450, that's a substantial chunk of change saved.

Glad to see them back. We're coming out of wool cap season gradually here now, but if they keep up those nice, wide, earlier styles next year, I'll be tempted. All their caps are very nice, but I have enough of the sleeker, more 50s cut caps already (and it's not hard to find very decent options for those elsewhere at a lower price). The big attraction for me is the earlier caps with much more body to them, the ones that can hang to one side... At this point, though, my next hat will hopefully be a black straw if I find the right one. Fingers crossed the next model from The Hattery's new in-house band is something Federation shaped....

 

[The Shoe]

The Cloches I ordered for my wife, and never received, are now 30% off at £52.50. I ordered two of them and it cost ¥9,922. That’s just under £54 for two (including shipping). We’re going to pass on them.

 

[Edward]

Full information on the new buyers: it's Laird Hatters of London.

https://christys-hats.com/blogs/new...w-chapter-of-britain-s-253-year-old-hat-brand

 

[jeffgarf]

Full information on the new buyers: it's Laird Hatters of London.

https://christys-hats.com/blogs/new...w-chapter-of-britain-s-253-year-old-hat-brand

I hope their plans work out.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

I believe the current market needs to find new ways to revitalize traditional niche manufacturers.
I'm convinced Christys will return because it still has a following, albeit a small one, like everyone else in the hat market, but there's still demand for her products, so we'll see a new direction.