|
Brief
History of the Borsalino Hat
Established in 1857. some consider Borsalino as the
finest hats made in the world. Borsalino is
synonymous with style and elegance.
 Borsalino
produces their own felt from the finest Belgian
lapin fur at their factory in Alessandria, Italy.
The felt Borsalino hats are still produced today
just as they once were one hundred years ago.
Giuseppe Borsalino,
after visiting Italy and France to learn the secrets
of the trade, set up the first artisan workshop for
the production of felt hats. When Giuseppe Borsalino
died in 1900, the production had reaches 750.000
hats, 60% of which were destined for export.
Teresio Borsalino
succeeded to his father in the family business. His
success lasted some decades. Then, in the 1940s,
business declined as the hat was no longer a part of
everyday dress. However, the fame of its trademark
remained untouched all over the world, and the name
Borsalino soon became part of fashion history. In
1970 it even inspired a famous and successful film:
"Borsalino", of course. In 1986 the factory moved to
a new site, more efficient and modern, in the
suburbs of Alessandria, whereas the offices of the
old site not only house the new University of
Alessandria, but also a piece of the Borsalino
history: a precious museum dedicated to the history
of the hat. |
