Info regarding the borsalino and bollman hat company

[John1]

Does this mean that hat stores in the U.S. will place orders for borsalino through bollman ?? Will prices increase ??

 

[tonyb]

What do you know of this, John1? Whatever that might be would be more than I know.

 

[jlee562]

I'm lost....

 

[Rick Blaine]

They once had the Borso license in N America (7o's-8o's ?). Made total garbage, sized s, m, l, xl.

Someone correct me here, if I'm wrong, eh?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Oh, no!

 

[John1]

There was an article in us.fashion.mag.com . (October ,13,2014

 

[Bird Lives]

What are you guys thing? I dropped by Byrnie Utz here in Seattle last month....Wasn't exactly knocked out by many of the new hats....But I did see a couple new Borsalinos that I thought were very nice....and would not have thought twice about picking up....I was surprised...what with some of the negative reports I've been hearing...

Do you think this new turn of events will affect the Borsalino product, other than just marketing?

 

[Lefty]

bollman will distribute, not manufacture, borsalino's hats.
what's the concern - that less than special, now largely fashion geared hats will become even less special because bollman is the u.s. wholesaler?

 

[tonyb]

A person is left to wonder what sorts of marketing strategies might be in the works. And, just what was the nature of the "critical financial situation" Borsalino found itself in.

http://us.fashionmag.com/news/Borsa...-Bollman-Hat-Company,435298.html#.VJMqYChQmQI

Got no hard data, but it sure does seem that more people are wearing "proper" hats. My understanding is that besides its own fairly well-known brands, Bollman also manufactures hats carrying other stores' labels, Goorin Bros. notably among them.

No matter whatever else I might think about this, you gotta credit Goorin Bros. with proving you can sell a wool felt hat with a cloth sweatband and no liner for $150.

So what have we here stateside, then? Three pretty good sized companies -- Hatco, Dorfman-Pacific, and Bollman.

 

[Jedwbpm]

Bolloman is now the distributor of Borsalino hats in the US. They are not making them. This should help the customers because all the products will have standard names so the consumer will now know for sure what they are getting At this time Borsalino is only selling hats that they make themselves. this means no Panama hats and no caps under the Borsalino label. We have contacted the companies that made the Panama hats and caps and berets and are getiing hats direct from them now. We are now carrying the Doria caps and the berets should be here any day now. This spring we will have Panama hats from Tesi.

Jeff

 

[tonyb]

So Jeff, what do you know about the "critical financial situation" alluded to in the fashionmag piece?

Am I correct in assuming that it is something of a strategic retrenchment for Borsalino to limit (for now) its brand name to only the hats it manufactures?

Can't say I've kept up, so don't hesitate to clarify or outright correct me, but didn't Borsalino once license its name to products other than headwear? Is that still happening?

 

[John1]

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed , that prices won't go up being that borsalino stated they were going through a critical financial situation

 

[John1]

Borsalino did put there name on shoes and ties at one point

 

[fedoralover]

Borsalino did put there name on shoes and ties at one point

True, I found a Borsalino tie at Goodwill a number of years ago. Can't say I was impressed with it.

I just looked at the price of new Borsalino's and I have to wonder why anyone would want to pay $575 for a new beaver borsy when you can get a custom fedora from one of the hatters often featured here on the lounge that will be a higher quality and for much less. I'm not sure where Borsalino even gets their felt these days? Do they still do their own felting? I know they used to and it was excellent but unless they've made some real changes recently, they are really disappointing. The rabbit ones I've seen are really bad.

fedoralover

 

[-30-]

Not to belabor the subject, belabour within Canada, but the present ownership of Borsalino

must be alchemists; they having turned Gold into Lead.


Regards,
J T

 

[Daniele Tanto]

The situation of Borsalino in italy is the following: there are some troubles and tangled stories for the real property of the trade mark and the factories. In the 80' dinasty of Borsalino finished and from that time there is another LTD to lead the Borsalino. During this summer started a war for the real owner between two families and a third part. The passed (2013) accounting period ended with a lost due to some problems with taxes and others not so clear situation. Now there is the lawyers war.
This is a rough translation from "Il Sole 24 ore" italian financial newspaper. Date 24 July 14
"Borsalino hats and those talks faded with France's LVMH
There will be a white knight for Borsalino hats, headgear became legendary icon in the 60s thanks to actors like Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo wearing it? The accounts of the company are in fact bad because of a maxi-loss last financial year. Now expects families shareholder (Gallo and Monticone) do their part with a capital increase, but in the meantime, according to rumors, expects a possible investor. Despite the crisis, the brand remains indeed in the collective. According to well informed, in recent months, would come forward various financial and industrial subjects but no one would be so far gone in Port: among them according to reports gathered by the Sole 24 Ore there was also a contact with LVMH, the luxury giant the boss Bernard Arnault. LVMH to buy Borsalino could be done with minimal cash injection, compared to the huge availability of transalpine group, but the approach would not have materialized. But as they say, never say never."
The complicated situation goes on........

 

[fedoralover]

Super sad story about what used to be a great hat company. It's happening to many of the old brand names that used to put out fantastic wares but now offer cheaply made items that few people want. Sears, Montgomery Wards, Pennys, the list could go on, but that is the reality of today's market place. Custom may cost more, but they are the only way to go for any quality.

fedoralover

 

[besdor]

Daniele info is very accurate. There will be a major change sometime in the first two months of 2015...

 

[tonyb]

Maybe they should settle this little misunderstanding the, um, Italian way.

 

[fedoralover]

Maybe they should settle this little misunderstanding the, um, Italian way.

With an offer they can't refuse?

fedoralover