ADRIANHATS: hats handmade in Italy, original enough to stylishly break away from monotony. The founder and designer Veronica Adriani tells us everything (and more!) about this fascinating brand. A family history that began years ago and is now making a comeback strengthened by a tradition handed down to the present; one which has no fear of tomorrow but builds upon it artistically. What can one say? hats off!
The hat is a particular accessory, fascinating, a real touch of class. Veronica, what made you approach the fashion world and, above all, the world of hats? “My story begins in this world. My grandfather, Ugo Adriani, opened his first wholesale shop in the sixties: there is not one photo or any memory of my grandfather without a hat! What made me come back after having undertaken a career in the photography field was the wish to regain an idea of ‘old-fashioned’ class…We regret that with the passing of time things get lost, the treasures of the past…You see, I didn’t want to lose mine! The moment I saw the possibility of readapting to my needs and to my lifestyle a tradition belonging to me, I was filled with enthusiasm and I started the ADRIANHATS adventure.”When did you decide that the moment had come for you to create your own brand? “I think it happened when I felt that the hat was not only a simple accessory but the main instrument to play my music. I’ve always been fascinated by the artisan aspect of production, by the quality and beauty of raw materials. Through photography I followed the idea of aesthetics that corresponded to a way of being, that carried weight. Seeing all this in hats I thought that it could be right for me. A binding means of expression. A hat, as I see it, is like Linus’ blanket, it strikes you because it tells your tale. It is like the word on the tip of your tongue, that you can’t find”.How would you define your style? “It’s a style that needs caring for, which needs to evolve. What I love to bits about this project is that it encourages you to change: every season means new research, which keeps my identity alive”.Yours are unique objects, result of an artisan process: what’s hidden behind your hats? “The hands of the artisans that I have known since I was a child are hidden behind my hats. I’ve always seen them work with great experience and imagination. Genuine people with irreplaceable artistry in their hands”.
How important do you think are competitions and trade fairs for young, up and coming fashion designers? “Competitions are basic, they help to build up business that small entities need to make their way in the big world. Besides visibility, I think they also help to create a certain reliability in the relationship that one creates with a client. They increase and keep up the identity of your brand. As for trade fairs, they’re certainly recognized landmarks in the industry, but I think that they’re not launching pads for up and coming brands”.What can you tell us about your last collection? What inspires it and what is its conception? “Daily life inspires our hats. Easy to wear, they are essential in their use and in the outlining of personality. This last collection presents an overlapping of soft lines and geometric designs, evoking the golden years of hat fashion and presenting enveloping wool, silk and feather lines. From the fifties up to the grunge years there has never been identification, only a simple inspiration, directed towards dressing the contemporary man and woman with a look to the future but a nostalgic glance at the past.”Where can one buy your hats? “The website ADRIANHATS is about to be opened for online sales. There is also a distribution in Japan, while in Italy they can be found in stores like Il Sottobosco in Rome at Rione Monti and at Il Chiodo in Syracuse.”Any future projects? “There is a lot going on, so at this time I’m concentrating on the present..For now! ”