Albrizio Millinery

A couple weeks ago, I finally made it over to Albrizio Millinery and successfully had two hats constructed in record time.  Albrizio is a slice of hat heaven in New York City.  With their vast assortment of hat blocks, expert craftsmanship and a true love for hat-making the folks at Albrizio, under the direction of David Steele (Ann Albrizio's nephew), are eager, knowledgeable and wonderful to work with, even if you're just a beginner like myself.  In less than an hour, David had shown me around the workplace and gave me a basic rundown of hat blocking and sewing hats from straw braid.

assortment of wooden hat blocks at Albrizio

We started off with a wool felt hood (purchased at Manhatco Hat Supply), which was blocked into a dramatic tall cone-shaped hat with a flat top:

the wool felt hood was sequentially steamed, stretched and roped into the block shape

more steaming and tightening with the ropes helped give the hood its characteristic grooves

as the hat is steamed some more, it conforms precisely to the hat block shape

The hat brim was then trimmed and finished with a grosgrain sweatband, and sized to maintain its shape.

The second hat, made out of a multi-color Italian straw braid (also purchased at Manhatco), was slightly more tricky.  David began sewing the hat and gradually molded it to the turban hat block I had selected:

David Steele sewing the straw turban with a chain stitch machine

after the hat was sewn, it was also steamed and roped around the hat block to create the final shape

I am planning on doing some more things with these hats, so you'll have to stay posted for additional photos of the finished products.  In the meantime, feel free to take advantage of the great resource that is Albrizio, one of the most knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating vendors I have encountered in the Garment Center.

Albrizio
30 W 39th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10018
tel. 212.719.5290  (call first)
Monday-Friday 9:30-4:30 pm