Berets, Anyone?

[Daan]

South Pacific Berets was given the privilege to launch Laulhère's brand new commercial, a scoop for The Fedora Lounge!

[video=youtube;CDuhhfDrEGA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDuhhfDrEGA[/video]

A beautiful short film combining origins, history, artisan beret manufacturing and contemporary fashion.

Get your own here.

 

[Matt Crunk]

Back in the '90s when I used to earn much of my living as a blues musician, a beret was a standard part of my stage attire. Not exactly Golden Era style, but I thought it pretty cool none-the-less

 

[Daan]

Great pic Matt Crunk! Beret & shades suits you very well.

In all spanish films, in the village ALWAYS appears a man with a beret!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4sIn4AhYA
0:47
Terrible film though

Nice one, Almas! Keep those films coming.

 

[RJR]

Looks good.

 

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Would this link be of any interest to you chaps?

http://www.cappelleriamelegari.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=163_65

 

[Daan]

News from France and not just some new beret models, but innovative new berets by French youngest beret manufacturer Le Béret Français.

For starters, there are the multi-coloured berets, like the Black&Scarlet beret of the Spanish 1930's anarchists and the Tri-Couleur in the colours of the French flag (well, luckily the same colours as the US, British, NZ, Australian and Norwegian flags, to name a few only...).
These are not standard berets that have been dyed or coloured in afterwards, but have been knitted in multicolour, thanks to innovative machinery specifically developed for Le Béret Français.

All berets made by Le Béret Français are 100% made in France (the very reason why this company exists; the insurance of an ongoing French tradition), made of 100% French wool (from the Provence sheep).

Another great project are Le Béret Français' Eco_berets, berets made out of recycled materials: wool, synthetics, cotton and silk. They call it Béret de Printemps, perfect summer and warm-weather wear; super light and extremely soft to the touch (thanks to a high silk content).

The Eco-Berets are available in colours Pepper, Denim and Coal and, like all Le Béret Français berets, available here.

 

[RJR]

Interesting,Daan.I wonder if they'll consider doing college colors to get more market.See some of the colors that B!Wear Caps do.

 

[madame babette]

I was trolling after posting a question about a fedora, and found this thread on berets. I just wanted to add that I feel that a beret is a hat that looks great on both men and on women. A classic, if you know how to wear it properly and have the panache to carry it off. Personally I adore an older man (think 60s 70s 80s and beyond) who rocks a classic black beret, especially if he has a nicely trimmed beard and moustache. So, from a female standpoint, if you get older and want to look great.......grab a beret!

 

[Daan]

I was trolling after posting a question about a fedora, and found this thread on berets. I just wanted to add that I feel that a beret is a hat that looks great on both men and on women. A classic, if you know how to wear it properly and have the panache to carry it off. Personally I adore an older man (think 60s 70s 80s and beyond) who rocks a classic black beret, especially if he has a nicely trimmed beard and moustache. So, from a female standpoint, if you get older and want to look great.......grab a beret!

Beautiful comments and couldn't agree more! The Beret Project is loaded with men just like that (apart from the nice trimming, at times...).

Pictured Simin Palay (1874–1965), who was a French writer and (generally seen as) Béarns greatest poet of the 20th century..

 

[GregNYC]

Great photo!

A friend of mine told me just tonight that he's going to give me one of the Czech TONAK berets. He found a wholesaler in NYC and bought a few dozen. He loves berets!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zebulon]

This Evening there was a short Story about Argentina in which there were many Gauchos to see, with all kind of Berets. Different Sizes and Colours, some real great ones too...
I found it quit interessting and hope you'll like it too:

http://mediathek.daserste.de/Weltsp...umentId=24489402&topRessort=tv&bcastId=329478

(Look at Minute 03:06 / 06:03 / 06:30 / 07:00)

 

[Daan]

Almost six years ago, I had berets made under my own South Pacific Berets label, providing an alternative for the more expensive models made in France and Spain. Now, I am practically sold out of these berets and, as there is still a need for affordable but good quality wool berets, I started working on a new range of berets. Parameters were: highest possible value for money ratio, comfort, materials (100% wool, with satin lining and embroidered label) and a good choice in diameters and colours.

The result is the Hispano Basque range; made exactly according to my specifications, headband-less berets in three different colours (for now, there are more in the pipeline) and in a large variety of diameters.

The 'Hispano Basque' label is a vintage label of French origin that was popular in the 1950's and has now found a new lease of life. The picture below shows an original Hispano Basque, around 1950's origin.

From today available here.

 

[Worf]

Hello been looking and lurking at this thread for sometime. I've various and sundry headband and liner-less berets which I won't go into. But recently I bought an "upscale" beret, used off the 'bay. I've searched and not found it's label anywhere in this thread so I'll assume it's a cheapo made to stupid tourists. But it's thick, waterproof and warm so's I wears it! It's labelled "Musee De Beret" inside so who really knows. Any information would be appreciated.

Worf

 

[Daan]

About those Hispano berets, they look beautiful. Which is the manufacturer?

Ah, they are beautiful. But, my agreement with the manufacturer prohibits me disclosing who makes them...
Good gear for watching a rugby match though.

 

[Daan]

Hello been looking and lurking at this thread for sometime. I've various and sundry headband and liner-less berets which I won't go into. But recently I bought an "upscale" beret, used off the 'bay. I've searched and not found it's label anywhere in this thread so I'll assume it's a cheapo made to stupid tourists. But it's thick, waterproof and warm so's I wears it! It's labelled "Musee De Beret" inside so who really knows. Any information would be appreciated.

Worf

Hi Worf,

This beret was made for tourists indeed, but nevertheless by a very respectable company: Blancq-Olibet from Nay (in the French Bearn). The company, the oldest French beret manufacturer since 1814, was bought out by rival company Laulhere (now the last historic French manufacturer).
Anyway, these berets were made specifically for the shop of the Musee du beret in Nay. This museum was set up by Blancq-Olibet and is now owned/supplied by Laulhere.

 

[Worf]

^^^^ Thanks for the love Dean. I appreciate the quick and detailed response.

Worf

P.S. Is the museum still in existence? Or did it fold with the sale of the company? How old do you figure this thing is?

 

[Daan]

^^^^ Thanks for the love Dean. I appreciate the quick and detailed response.

Worf

P.S. Is the museum still in existence? Or did it fold with the sale of the company? How old do you figure this thing is?

Yes, the museum is still there. It's nice, but very small; old machinery and many photos. Larger and with a more extensive collection is the museum of former beret manufacturer La Encartada, in the Spanish Basque Country.

As for your beret: don't know what year they made these, but obviously only since the set up of the museum. My best guess is ome 20 years old.

Cheers

 

[Daan]

What I first regarded as a kind of inferior clone of a true Béret Basque (or Béarnaise, for that matter), has become one of my personal favourites: the Béret Casquette Auloronesa.

What, to the un-trained eye, may look like a beret with an added peak, is actually a true beret. All true berets are made of one single thread, without any stitching (apart from the label and lining of course) and these Béret Casquettes are exactly that. The 'peak' is "pulled" from the side of a standard 10 pouces circular beret, under steam, and is then reinforced to maintain it's shape. It is quite amazing how much surplus material there is in a standard beret to do this.

Like all berets made by Boneteria Auloronesa, these are hand made and fitted with a liguette, the internal drawstring that makes the berets perfectly size adjustable. On cold weather days, the rim can be folded out to cover more of the back and sides of the head too.
Originally only available in black, but at South pacific Berets also available in six custom made colours (and from today on Special for one week only).

 

[Daan]

Bad, sad news from Japan.

Kongo Shokai, the manufacturer of the DEER Basque berets stops to exist from May 2015.

The historic hat manufacturer (since 1928) simply can't compete in today's economic climate. Much of the manufacturing of the DEER Basques is specialized hand work; in combination with the ever decreasing Japanese Yen, the high running costs of the factory and the very slim profit margins, survival is not possible.

Personally, I feel really sad. The DEER Basque is an exceptional quality artisan beret that, in both craftsmanship and comfort, can compete with the very best French and Spanish berets. For years now, the wool DEER Basque has been my beret of choice during the NZ summer, changed occasionally for the linen version of this beret.

Worse even, my stock of DEER Basques is running very low. I have put in last order and I keep my fingers crossed that these will be made still... (if so, it will be March before these arrive).
The present stock is available here.

 

[1mach1]

Daan, I always enjoy your pics! The black and white shot is great.