Hats, Etc. is the hat design house of Alan White and Barry Moss! The U.K. born but Ottawa based design duo create works of art for all occasions. We sat down and asked them a few questions about their growing company.
When were you first interested in fashion?:
White: For me, I would say in the 1980s while living and working in London. It was the time of the emerging “punk” movement with Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm MacLaren and the New Romantic movement.
Moss: It started while watching my grandmother when I was young, working for Buckingham Palace.
How did you first get started in fashion?:
White: I was doing some photography for a friend from New Zealand who was a hairdresser – we were putting together a portfolio of his work. Each weekend we’d do some shots and one week I suggested making some kind of hat with a hole in the top through which he could bring the hair through, the hair becoming an integral part of the hat and that’s how it all started.
Who is your client?:
White and Moss: Our clients vary greatly in age – from early 20s through to 80s and beyond. Our hats are geared toward special occasions and our clients tend to be people who want something unique and appreciate the good quality finish we strive for. We have served clients locally in the Ottawa region, but with our online presence we have received commissions from clients in Vancouver, Toronto, Florence, South Carolina and even Panama City! We offer a bespoke service providing the perfect hat for our clients, matching or coordinating with any outfit.
What inspires you?:
White and Moss: We have welcomed a return to elegance which has become apparent in recent years. Our designs are inspired by the “age of elegance” epitomized in the 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s through the work of couture designers like Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga and Schiaparelli, and the films of the same period, especially those of Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn to name but a few.
Are you constantly designing/making hats or is it more of “when I am inspired”?:
White and Moss: We constantly have ideas in our heads for new hats and we add new designs all the time, While working on a hat design you tend to have several new ones popping up during the hat-making process.
Biggest lesson you’ve learned since you started?:
White: That would have to be perseverance!
To order hats, please visit this page.
