Founded 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.
Nelson Hat CoMaryland 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.
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
BembienFounded in 2017 by Yi-Mei Truxes, Bembien is a Greenpoint, Brooklyn accessories brand creating timeless handbags and lifestyle pieces by hand in small batches. Its rattan basket bags, handwoven leather designs and silk scarves connect modern silhouettes with artisan techniques passed down through generations; a single handbag can take up to 10 days to complete. Bembien works with local, women-led weaving communities around the world to help sustain craft heritage.
bixi awotanBorn in León, Guanajuato, Mexico—a city rooted in leather craftsmanship—Bixi Awotan creates handcrafted leather handbags and accessories with timeless designs and artisan character. The family-run brand produces in limited quantities using carefully sourced, environmentally responsible leather, so each piece carries its own natural variation rather than a mass-produced finish. Bixi Awotan has been creating leather handbags and accessories for more than a decade, with a showroom in State College, Pennsylvania, and retail presence in Mexico.CARY, NC