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Prolific statement hat wearer Gigi Hadid
Credit: Instagram @gigihadid 

Hats off to celeb statement headwear stars like Gigi Hadid, Nicole Trunfio and Chiara Ferragni: there’s never been a hotter time to redirect part of your shoe budget to the top end of any daytime outfit.

The up side to investing in a beautifully crafted hat is that, unlike many trend-based shoes and handbags, it can potentially work across decades rather than a season or two. The biggest challenge, however, is keeping it looking pristine regardless of how often it makes an appearance. 

We asked luxury hat expert Allison Bard, global brand director of leading designer brand Helen Kaminski, for her top tips on storing, cleaning, reshaping and travelling with your favourite hats.

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Credit: Helen Kaminski

WHAT’S YOUR BEST ADVICE FOR REMOVING MAKE-UP FROM THE INSIDE BRIM OF A HAT? The inner band or neoprene strip inside hats makes wiping off make-up easy with a soft slightly damp cloth or baby wipes. For tougher marks, a mild detergent can be used on the inner band or spot cleaning with a stain remover can be used on fabric hats. 

SHOULD YOU EVER WASH OR DRY CLEAN HAT? Fabric hats like ours can be hand washed or dry cleaned, however care advice will differ based on the materials. Proper storage is also an important aspect of caring for your hat.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STORE THEM? To hold their shape over time, hats require space and support, regardless of brim width or size. Storing in a purpose made hat box is the ideal way to protect the brim and crown from being crushed or bent. Proper hat boxes have internal support that will keep the brim from resting on the bottom and becoming distorted. 

“One last point is to be sure the hat is free of any moisture or damp before storing.”

 

What if you don’t have space for a hat box? The best storage method is to lightly stuff the crown with soft tissue paper. Flat brim hats can then be placed flat on a shelf, while angled brim hats should be elevated so that the brim does not rest on the shelf. A hat stand is also great method as long as it provides enough support to maintain the shape of the crown.

What should you do if you accidentally sit on a sun hat and it’s crushed out of shape? Reshaping raffia is quite easy thanks to the natural resilience of the raffia fibre. Just lightly apply steam to the affected areas then reshape by hand and allow to dry completely in an open space. Raffia can be reshaped many times and will not be worn down by steaming, in fact the steam reactivates the natural resin in the raffia and refreshes the hat. We also offer a repair service from our Sydney head office and our master craftsman has the skill to remedy most hat disasters.

What’s your best advice for packing a hat when travelling? Since I usually take more than one hat on a trip, I end up packing one in my suitcase (best method is to turn upside down and fill with lingerie, socks or other small soft items, and support the brim with strategically placed tee-shirts or scarves). While the hat usually comes out looking great, the brim or crown can sometimes become slightly misshapen depending on what else is packed in the bag and baggage handling. Use the reshaping tip above for rafia hats.

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Rafia visors are a big hat trend for 2017
Credit: Helen Kaminsky