Hat lovers are being given the chance to go behind the scenes at the new Patey Hat factory in London to see how bespoke hats are made on 4 May 2016.
Currently, every single hat Patey make is bespoke, and every hat is made in the workshop, whether it be a riding, top, or bowler hat; a fedora, trilby, bearskin, or mortar board. Visitors can see how the hard hats have their bases made as well as the hand finishing of details such as linings, padding and velvet covers. At the end of the tour you can be measured if you wish to commission a hat.
Patey Hats traces its roots back to 1695 when the French Huguenot Corne family arrived in London and brought with them the skills of Parisian hat making. Since then, hats have been made for royalty, the Tower of London, and London’s finest hotels, as well as for films and theatre including the successful West End show, Les Misérables.
The Patey tours are part of London Craft Week 2016. To book your place, go to www.londoncraftweek.com.