Toronto Hatter Leon Drexler

[belfastboy]

$20 says it's another Canuck, it'd be hard to take over with the border closed. Which is why I never got one of his hats, I was just about to call him and drive to Toronto (I'm in Michigan) when they shut down the bridges.


My word, that's a beautiful hat! *sigh*

That would be my guess as well. Stephen told me that now he has retired I am the only hat maker in Canada devoted to classic fedoras. Others making westerns, steam punk and milliners that dabble in the men's field. I tried to order one more hat from Stephen (I have 2) but alas he had already stopped taking orders.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I’m still bummed that I just missed getting one of his hats. I tried to place an order right after he stopped accepting them.

 

[belfastboy]

I’m still bummed that I just missed getting one of his hats. I tried to place an order right after he stopped accepting them.

For both my hats the wait list was one year so I suspect it took him a while to wind down the business after ceasing to accept new orders.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

For both my hats the wait list was one year so I suspect it took him a while to wind down the business after ceasing to accept new orders.

He was still making hats, but not taking new orders, when I tried to get a Milaner. I don’t know how closes I was to his cutoff, but by an inch or a mile I missed out.

Never heard of Matthew Heeley, but he has big shoes to fill.

 

[belfastboy]

He was still making hats, but not taking new orders, when I tried to get a Milaner. I don’t know how closes I was to his cutoff, but by an inch or a mile I missed out.

Never heard of Matthew Heeley, but he has big shoes to fill.


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Thanks for this as I had not read until now. I was about to place an order for a Milaner as well. Keep thinking to attempt one of my own but I am too busy with making hats for others and have no time to play at creating hats for myself....not a complaint just a statement!

 

[belfastboy]

He was still making hats, but not taking new orders, when I tried to get a Milaner. I don’t know how closes I was to his cutoff, but by an inch or a mile I missed out.

Never heard of Matthew Heeley, but he has big shoes to fill.


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In the last year we have lost 4 excellent hatters, Art @VS, Stephen and then BlackSheep not taking orders for a while and Phoenix switching gears to ready made. The field has narrowed so that Gannon who was the new kid on the block not many years ago has risen (rightfully so on merit) to the top echelon of hatters. Tim@Alley Kat is making hats again but is still mostly focused on his supply business. Things def do change!

 

[chilehed]

Keep thinking to attempt one of my own but I am too busy with making hats for others and have no time to play at creating hats for myself....not a complaint just a statement!

Yeah, that's a good place to be. I'm glad business is good!

 

[daizawaguy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKWRyEr5Zc/

The Muscoca Hatter!

Good luck and wonder who will order the first hat!?

 

[Beren]

Do the front and back c

The Milaner is making me second guess my custom order.

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I’d go with a wider brim and the welterweight crown.

Do the front an back of the brim curve slightly down, or is that an optical illusion?

 

[belfastboy]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUKWRyEr5Zc/

The Muscoca Hatter!

Good luck and wonder who will order the first hat!?

Interesting and possibly sad story. The fellow purchased the business from Stephen along with much of the equipment never to be heard from again. I sent a message through IG inquiring about purchasing a hat and never received a reply. I talked to Stephen and he has no idea what has happened.

 

[Beren]

Temkin had a special name for the brim of the Milaner, but I cannot remember it now. The following expressions come to mind, but I don't know if any of them are accurate: "open brim," "semi-curl brim," "open curl brim ... Does anyone remember the term or expression he used for the brim? TIA.

 

[Beren]

I probably should start a new thread to show off this hat, as it was custom-made for me by Mike Miller of NW Hats. But since it is replica (or Mike's interpretation) of Stephen Temkin's Milaner. I thought it best to begin here. I love everything about this fedora. I much prefer it to a homburg, at least on me. Homburgs and I really don't get along--at least that's my wife's opinion, and of course she's always right.

I love this fedora by Mike. It's a beautiful, elegant creation. I don't know if he's selected a name for it yet, but I know he was delighted with the final product. He told me that after it was done, he just kept looking at it. It's a masterpiece. I hope Mr Temkin would be pleased to know that the Milaner lives on!

 

[belfastboy]

Temkin had a special name for the brim of the Milaner, but I cannot remember it now. The following expressions come to mind, but I don't know if any of them are accurate: "open brim," "semi-curl brim," "open curl brim ... Does anyone remember the term or expression he used for the brim? TIA.

I have one of them but cannot recall the name. Is the website still up and running?

 

[Beren]

I have one of them but cannot recall the name. Is the website still up and running?

Alas, the website was taken offline.

 

[Beren]

Temkin had a special name for the brim of the Milaner, but I cannot remember it now. The following expressions come to mind, but I don't know if any of them are accurate: "open brim," "semi-curl brim," "open curl brim ... Does anyone remember the term or expression he used for the brim? TIA.

I think I found the term! Temkin called it an "open roll" brim.

 

[belfastboy]

I think I found the term! Temkin called it an "open roll" brim.

When Stephen retired, the hat making world lost a great one.

 

[Rmccamey]

Very nice. It's hard to beat a Northwest hat. I have several of Mike's creations. One of my favorites is my Cambridge Bowler.

I probably should start a new thread to show off this hat, as it was custom-made for me by Mike Miller of NW Hats. But since it is replica (or Mike's interpretation) of Stephen Temkin's Milaner. I thought it best to begin here. I love everything about this fedora. I much prefer it to a homburg, at least on me. Homburgs and I really don't get along--at least that's my wife's opinion, and of course she's always right.

I love this fedora by Mike. It's a beautiful, elegant creation. I don't know if he's selected a name for it yet, but I know he was delighted with the final product. He told me that after it was done, he just kept looking at it. It's a masterpiece. I hope Mr Temkin would be pleased to know that the Milaner lives on!
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[belfastboy]

Very nice. It's hard to beat a Northwest hat. I have several of Mike's creations. One of my favorites is my Cambridge Bowler.

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I like that.....just may have to get one for myself!!!