Hats in South America

[Sparhawk2k]

I don't even know enough to ask the right questions here but I thought it'd be worth a shot. It seems like most of the Panamas are actually made in Ecuador (?) but what I'm curious about is how much they're availible in other nearby countries. My girlfriend is going to be traveling in South America for the next couple months and had dropped hints about getting me some hats.

She's going to be mostly in Chile and probably not making it as far north as Ecuador so is it likely she'll find anything? I'm sure you can find hat shops just about anyplace but are any made nearby? Will they be cheaper to get there than just ordering from someplace online? What should she be looking for? Any suggestions?

 

[feltfan]

Is she going to Argentina?

Recently we've seen some very nice felt hats
that are made in Argentina. Have a look at this thread:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=11574

You might get in touch with the guy who owns those hats
and get some advice.

There's plenty of information on Panama hats on this site.
I urge you to poke around a bit- the subject comes up a lot
and there is a lot to learn about them.
It's sort of a complicated question, though, depending on
how you want the hat blocked and finished.

 

[Sparhawk2k]

I have been searching quite a bit though most of what I've found has to do with eBay, websites, or specific members as opposed to local shopping... That thread does look like it could be helpful though. Thanks.

Hm, and I guess I should try posting some more so I can actually send a PM...

 

[Marc Chevalier]

She's going to be mostly in Chile ...

Will she be in Santiago, the capital? Santiago has only one decent hat shop (sombreria): it dates back to 1915. Originally it was named "La Sombreria Victoria".

In 1922, the owner found a wooden mannequin of a bellhop with a mechanical arm. He placed it inside the display window, put a drumstick in the mannequin's hand, and set it so that the mechanical arm would swing up and down and tap the window's glass from the inside. There it remains to this day. This incessant tapping sound has been catching the attention of passersby for 70 years!

Eventually, people stopped calling the shop "La Sombreria Victoria"; instead, they called it the place "where the little guy taps" ("donde golpea el mono"). The owner decided to change his shop's name to ... you guessed it ... "Donde Golpea El Mono": http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/

The shop looks pretty much as it did in 1915. High ceilings with ancient fans, oak-panelled walls with oak shelves, wooden floors, enormous gilt-framed mirrors. Very old hatboxes line the walls:

You can see its hats in the links below:


http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/Productos/productos_sombreros_calle_lluvia_fieltro_pano.html

http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/Productos/productos_jockeys_boinas.html

http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/Productos/productos_sombreros_dama.html

http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/Productos/productos_sombreros_huaso.html

http://dondegolpeaelmonito.cl/Productos/productos_articulos de huaso.html





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[besdor]

hat shop

It goes to show you that there are more hat shops out there than many people realize . I would love to knowwho is making the hats for this store as they look very nice on the website .



Steven

 

[Twitch]

My friends are going on some boat cruise that stops in Panama and my friend is figuring he can get a Panama hat. I have to wonder whether any to be found there are indiginous or are imported from Ecuador.[huh]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I would love to know who is making the hats for this store as they look very nice on the website .

Funny you should ask! Most of their felt hats come from the last hatmaking manufacturer left in Santiago: "Girardi S.A." "Girardi"'s founder arrived in Chile from Italy in 1897. He immediately established a large and thriving hatmaking operation, with equipment imported from England, France and Italy. Here's a photo of the factory in 1910:

Today, "Girardi" is holding on by the skin of its teeth. Its president, the founder's granddaughter, is a tough, determined, passionate woman with a lot of Italian grit in her veins; she has sworn to keep the business alive. I met her at the factory in 2001, and received a wonderful tour. I even got to see a felt bowler hat being made! Mrs. Girardi has already donated most of the original, turn-of-the-century equipment to a Santiago children's science museum, where kids are actually taught (and shown!) how the machinery was operated. No kidding: a whole section of that museum is devoted to hatmaking!

"Girardi"'s original 1897 factory location (seen in the photo above) still exists. It has been restored and converted into a group of restaurants.





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[mauriciogray]

Argentina was the first felt maker in the world.

You can find in Buenos Aires the following hatters:

1¬? Lagomarsino: Tucuman 2334 (once) they have a very bad attention but a good felt.
2¬? Maidana: Rivadavia 1923 (congreso) they have a good attention and a good felt. You can talk with the hatter if you need changes.
3¬? Sala: Mendez de Andes 1523 (caballito) they have a good attention, a the best felt. You talk directly with the hatters.
4¬? Romer: Riobamba 1055 (barrio norte) the attention is good, they sell Sala Hats with Romer logo.

You can go to San Telmo and Abasto to antique houses.

 

[RBH]

Thanks everyone!

This is the best place. There is always so much to learn.

 

[Sparhawk2k]

I know she's starting in Santiago at least... I'm not sure if she'll be making it to Buenos Aires (lots of wandering is involved in this trip) but I'll pass it all along and we'll see. Thanks. :eusa_clap

Now I'm starting to wish even more that I had gone...