Several Weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Brandon Franklin; the founder and designer at B.M. Franklin & Co, in his NYC based studio in Downtown Manhattan, where each and everyday he makes hats come to life. His studio is small, but full of surprises and well organized. My first glaze after entering his studio is a gigantic hat gallery wall that is adorned with astounding designs with an emphasis on craftsmanship (totally unique and no two hats are alike). On the opposite wall is a complete functioning workshop that is lined up with so many vintage wooden hat blocks and tools.
During my visit, I learned that Brandon spent over five year and a half dedicated to mastering the age-old process of custom hat making, and training with Worth and Worth, one of the oldest hat shops in NYC. I was constantly blown away by his knowledge and creativity. While there, he was making a custom hat for me. As someone who loves hats and has quite a collection, it was such an amazing experience to have a hat made that truly speaks to me and is unlike anything in the market. Biggest challenge: to be honest, I didn’t have an exact picture of how my hat would look like, I had so many little ideas (for example; a traditional Thai fabric that I wanted to collaborate into my hat, starry night sky, and my motto; “The Moon’s Reaching For Me.” – I know I had a lot in my plate). Here is how Brandon’s hat-making experience comes to play, he has such an incredible knack of connecting all the puzzles into a distinct and desirable hat.
As expected, the result is entirely unique. My hat is made from a navy blue wool felt which represents the midnight sky wrapped around with a gold ribbon twist over a grosgrain black band. I specially love the pork pie hat (filed it under my hat glossary…Thanks for teaching me something new, Brandon) and this ‘40s style wide brim down reminds me just how badass a woman can be back then and now. Thank you Brandon for making this killer hat for me!
Brandon is a truly skilled craftsman who has become quite a master. It’s a real gift to have him in New York City. If you really want to give yourself a special gift, call up Brandon and have him make a custom hat for you!
B.M. Franklin & Co is located at 368 Broadway, Suite 311, New York and open by appointment only. Recently it has just opened a popup store location in 256 Buckhead Ave NE, Buckhead Village, Atlanta. To browse the collection and to order your custom hat, click HERE.
