Maryland textile artist Michelle Antoinette Nelson turns reclaimed and ethically sourced materials into handmade hats conceived as sculptural, wearable art. Nelson Hat Co. creates one-of-one collector pieces with architectural forms and intricate handwork, while also designing private-label and white-label headwear for fashion brands. The company makes hats for all people and specializes in fitting wearers with natural hair, recognizing that one size does not fit all.
State of GracieFounded by Mexican designer Gracie Cohen, State of Gracie creates haute millinery hats that unite cultural heritage with modern New York design. Each piece is handcrafted by artisans in Mexico and finished in the company’s New York atelier, with the brand emphasizing ethical, fair-trade craftsmanship and minimal-waste production. Its collections range from sculptural velour fedoras to handwoven straw styles, all made in deliberately small-batch, non-mass-produced runs.NEW YORK, NY
MIMI PROBERFounded in 2014 by New York designer Mimi Prober, MIMI PROBER creates handcrafted clothing, textiles, and fine jewelry by turning antique materials into sustainable modern heirlooms. Its atelier combines recovered 18th- and early-20th-century textiles with local luxury fibers and botanical dyes, preserving the stories and handwork embedded in each one-of-a-kind piece. Production is based in New York and carried out through direct partnerships with regional farms, mills, artisans, and manufacturers.STATEN ISLAND, NY
AA CrochetNew York’s AA Crochet is a one-person handmade-goods studio where Aria Lee creates crochet clothing, hats, accessories and patterns. The work favors distinctive styles and configurations over fast fashion, with one-of-a-kind pieces such as freehand colorwork hats and hand-dyed-yarn tops. Custom colors and styles are welcome, and most pieces are made to order.
KnotzlandFounded in Pittsburgh in 2015 by Nisha Blackwell, Knotzland makes handmade fashion accessories from reclaimed and rescued textiles. Its locally crafted, one-of-a-kind bow ties extend the life of discarded fabrics, with production supported by a regional network of sewists and designers.PITTSBURGH, PA