I do like my fezzes, but wearing them outside is taking it a bit too far for me (for now, that is).
Welcome to the lounge, Albert. That is a special item you have there. Pity it is in such a sorry state. It is in fact a GB Borsalino Fu Lazzaro and dates back from at least the 1930's. GB Borsalino fu Lazzaro and Borsalino (antica casa) were cousins, which didn't stop them to compete with eachother with everything they had. Borsalino came out on top, became one of the biggest brands in the hat-industry and took over his cousins factory and brand name (in 1936), which disappeared until the fifties when it was revived by Borsalino as a marketing tool. This fez is from the original factory though. Borsalino stopped making fezzes a long time ago.
Thanks you all for welcoming me. I found labels with “G.B.Borsalino Fu Lazzaro” and it matches what I have. What is the best way forward for me to preserve what I have, is there a hat Smith who can help? I live on the coast of Sc so anything in the south is best.
Can't help you on the hatter question I'm afraid as I live in Europe. It would be worth a try to buy a cheap straw hat, remove the brim of it and use the crown as a replacement of the straw body of the fez.
Welcome to the lounge, Eddie! I wish more lounge member would refer to their fezzes as "awesome". Perfect way to start. As for your question, that's easy: Egypt. In Cairo to be exact. A great many fezzes were made in Egypt, for the tourists mainly, because after 1925, when they were forbidden in Turkey, they seem to have faded out all around the middle east as headwear. The tassel, representing the single hair Allah needed to lift up the devout muslim to heaven, seems to have gone rastafari on your fez. Should be aesy to fix. It looks rather tall and has straight sides, judging from the picture, so technically it should be considered to be a chechia instead of a fez (take a look at the Cabrol& Baisette poster in one of the posts above - upper right corner).
Good to see an update of this thread once in a while. Borsalino probably did make fezzes for the Italian army in WWII as well. I wonder who made the fezzes for the waffen SS.Chechias are very different from country to country. I own one made in Tunisia where the hat is, normally, worn without a tassel and it is not of a rigid construction.
Borsalino probably made Fezzes for the Ascari troops during the Italian-African Wars.
They had different model hats but they wore a very tall fez called “ tarbouche “
I found a nice video that shows how they make a Chechia in Tunisia.
I use to wear it but these days, unfortunately, there are many reasons not (let’s not go into that but the looks you get are beyond strange ) to and therefore I no longer do.
PM sent.
Gustin Vintage Heavyweight Sweatshirt - Natural Rainbow Nep - $119 Rugged 14oz cotton that gets better with every wear. 
Grant Stone Diesel Boot Dark Olive Chromexcel - #395 Goodyear welted, Horween Chromexcel, classic good looks. 
Himel Bros. - The Ross Mk. 1 Leather Jacket Classic D-pocket motorcycle/aviator style jacket. 
Thank you, much appreciated!
