We recently had the pleasure of sitting down and talking to the talented milliner Anne Hamro on location at A’Marees in Newport Beach about her beautiful line of hats. Anne has been designing her hats since 2013 using the finest luxury materials sourced from around the world.
You have been in the design business for over 25 years. Can you tell us about your background growing up in San Clemente, CA?
I was born and raised in San Clemente, California, the youngest of 5 children. My parents still live in the home I was brought up in and the fact that I get to go back and spend time there every year means I am still very connected to both Southern California! I left San Clemente for Santa Barbara to attend UCSB – from one beautiful beach town to another. Always curious about other cultures and with a deep love of languages, I spent half of my Junior year at the University of Madrid, Spain and decided I would go back to Europe after graduating college to work for a year or two. That was 30 years ago! While skiing in the Italian Alps shortly after arriving for work in Italy, I stopped to take a picture with friends, and one of their friends happened to be my future husband… literally met him on the slopes! We married 2 1/5 years later, young and in-love. We are both passionate about traveling and outdoor sports, and have been traveling and skiing and sailing, amongst many other things, ever since.
You married an Italian and now live in Italy. Can you share a little bit about what that is like?
Living in Italy is beautiful, though not always easy for an American with all of its layered bureaucracy, crazy politics and struggling economy. If you can deal with those things, however, it is pretty fabulous. The appreciation of exquisite nature, the close proximity of so many European and North African cultures, most reached in a 2 hour flight, makes a culture lover like me very happy. The fact that family time is so important here in Italy, including taking the time and making the effort to cook meals that you sit down and eat together, often for hours, is really lovely. It’s one of the most beautiful ways to spend time with loved ones. I love to cook with my husband and kids and most weekends include dinner parties at our place, which we made sure could always accommodate at least 4 families of 4 for a meal!
What did you do for work?
I landed in Europe with the intention of working in music, but quickly swerved to Cross-cultural affairs working in the private sector and even the United Nations, until I had children. After that it was producing art books for galleries and museums, mostly back and forth to NYC, then Milan with fashion and design magazines, various consulting projects and then… hats! I was brought up with a very creative mother and grandmother from Holland who was a seamstress to the stars of Hollywood and beyond. My sisters and I learned all sorts of hand-crafts and grew up making many of our own clothes.. and often those of our friends. We loved to sew and knit and crochet, make jewelry – anything and everything we could. I still love making things with my hands.
I lived in Italy for three years when I was young, and it would be a dream to live there again part-time someday. Where do you live in Italy, and how often do you come back to the U.S.? Do you find it hard with most of your family living stateside?
I live in the north-western corner of Italy, in the foothills of the Italian Alps, about an hour west of Milan, half hour north of Turin. My hometown is called Ivrea, and it is immersed in beautiful nature. Lakes and mountains all around, and the Italian Riviera/Mediterranean sea just 2 hours away. A very wholesome and healthy place to raise children, ( daughters Julia, 18 and Sofia, 21) though at times a little boring, especially during those teenage years! I try to get back to the US twice a year, spending a month or so in the Summer plus a week or two in Winter or Spring. I still get homesick after 30 years! I am very attached to my family and childhood friends, and absolutely love “going home”. It’s dinner parties every night and morning beach walks with my girlfriends.
Your hats are so beautiful and made with such attention to detail. What prompted your decision to become a milliner, and start Filuhats in 2013? How many people do you have working with you?
Thank you! Being a creative soul who is happiest when creating, I wanted to start a business that allowed me to do that. I had always done projects here and there, especially working with jewelry thanks to both of my sisters (insta: @deannahamro and @alfieandtuesday) having accessories lines of their own, and decided hats was my thing. Being from Southern California I was all too aware of the potential of sun damage to skin, and the mantra was always: “50 (sunscreen) and a hat”. I was diligent about both, but the hats were always a style problem. I swore and still swear by the standard lifeguard hats I could pick up at surf shops for $20 to keep me protected while running and playing in the sun, but they were far from chic. When visiting a friend who owned what must be the world’s oldest hat factory, not far from my home in Italy, that produced hats for the likes of Hermès, Loro Piana and Ferragamo, I looked around and asked if I were to design a collection, could they produce for me too. I had accumulated lots of ideas and designs over the years, and they quickly said yes! They even offered me a design job. I declined the offer and went forward with my project of launching my own brand and them producing it after spending about a year hanging around the factory and learning all I could. I started with a straw hat collection, mainly finely woven Panamas, and then a year or so later introduced fine felts. I still make both, though foldable and rollable “travel hats” that manage to maintain their “chic” factor are my biggest sellers.
I have 2 people working for me and now work with 4 different factories according to the kind of fabrication required. I do all the design and procure all the materials but let the “Master Hatters” work their magic and make the actual hats.
What is the hardest part of running your business?
It is not easy and requires lots of passion, tenacity and patience. And time. I have never wanted to be a boss, and fortunately have two wonderful women who I’ve hired to help me. Unemployment is very high in Italy and I live in a very small town, so finding the right people has not been easy. Because of how difficult it is for women over forty to find work, I focused on that age group, and am happy to say I couldn’t be happier with my little staff! Plus, I don’t have to do much bossing, if any, which I am very thankful for. I coordinate and guide more than anything. When a company is a small and artisanal as mine, your hands are always in everything.
The toughest part of owning my own business is probably having to spread my attention in so many directions, not all of which are my passion or strength. Thank goodness I’ve found great people to take some of that pressure off. Design, purchasing, production, payroll, photoshoots, PR, travel and sales. We are small but growing so investing in the right areas is important as we are self-financed. I am also meticulous about quality and design and making sure my designs are carried out to perfection! Fortunately my master hatters are the best of the best, so quality is hardly a problem.
What are you most excited about in running your business?
What excites me most is bringing creative ideas to fruition and making hats I feel are beautiful, useful, practical. I love it when someone tells me how much they love their hat, the places they have traveled with it, how chic and/or protected they feel in it. I love being able to take risks and design things that may not be commercially a huge success, but that tick all the boxes of what I think the ultimate hat should contain. I also love a hat that is loved across the board of the many shops all over the world where Filùhats are sold. When a hat is relevant across cultures and geographies, it’s a pretty amazing feeling. And in the end, that is what Filùhats is all about: super chic hats made at the hands of the best hatters of the best materials available, with my personal style aesthetic woven in, speaking to men and women from all over the planet. When someone wears one of our hats they know that they are wearing the finest, best made hats available.
Have you collaborated with other designers for their collections? What is your favorite hat design that you have done?
I have! My first collaboration was with Co, who I just loved working with. So chic. Actually I have only ever worked with designers who I truly adore and would wear myself. I have done collaborations with Dianora Salviati, who makes the most gorgeous, luxurious hand-woven, hand-painted in Italy scarves. She has been decorating a few hats for me in a sort of capsule collection for the past couple of years to great success. A wonderful friendship has come from our collab which I am so thankful for. I have also been working with Luisa Cevese who makes amazing, super unique sustainable handbags from scraps. The logical compliment to a straw hat is a straw bag, and I knew if I were ever to make one she would be the one I would want to develop it with. In the end we came up with 2 designs: a tote and a beach bag. Both super lightweight, waterproof, ultra-chic “straw” bags you can squish and fit in your suitcase! That’s always the problem when you find a great straw bag when traveling – you have to leave it behind because it takes up too much room. Not with Luisa’s bags! We also did a series of pochette clutches for FW19 make of ribbon scraps from my past seasons. I have additionally worked with Thierry Colson, a dear friend who makes the most dreamy summer wear from Paris. Last May we did a few trunk shows together up and down the California Coast and had the best time. I just love everything he does. This past Summer we also did some hats for Emilia Wickstead in London. So fun and playful!
I honestly don’t know that I have a favorite hat design. There are different hats for different occasions and climates. I do love a fringed edge on my Panama or foldable straw, and being quite tall the wide-brims are always proportionate for me and give me that sun protection I love! The hat + silk souvenir scarf collection is probably my most recent favorite.
Why are hats so important as an accessory?
Hats mean different things and serve different purposes to different people. For me, the desire to wear a hat starts as a necessity; as protection from the elements. Lots of sun calls for shade. Lots of cold or rain calls for something to keep your head warm and dry. But I don’t stop at function. The style factor is just as important! Some people simply wear a hat as an expression of their style, as a fashion accessory. If a hat can satisfy both of these desires, all the better: Practical + stylish = Perfection!
Where do you have to travel to choose your materials and have them made? I love the silk scarves you are doing as well that you can add to your hats. How do you decide what to put on them?
My straws are made in Tuscany, as are the sewn fabric hats. The felts are made north of Milan. The silk scarves were a passion project. The area of Lake Como is known for its production of silks, and particularly the iconic silk scarves most fashion houses produce. I tend to have a playful twist on much of my collections, and often that is inspired by my childhood in the 70s in my Southern California surfer town. When snooping through a flea market a couple of years ago I found an old souvenir scarf from the 70’s that I fell in love with. These scarves were quite popular souvenirs from resort towns around the world, from Hawaii, LA and Miami, to Capri, Saint Tropez, Biarritz and Monte Carlo. Even El Paso and Nashville! They were almost always printed poorly and often with garish colors, but fun and witty and a sort of snapshot of the place and time. Well, I was inspired to make my own souvenir scarves of places dear to my heart with their own little kitschy twist, though still chic. So, I met with my graphic designer, Anna Molteni, and together we designed 3 scarves representing my Italy, my California and my Pacific Islands (Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji). We had a blast coming up with all these fun and funny iconic designs. We then had them printed on beautiful silk in Como -a shorter version for tying around the crown of your hat or your wrist or handbag, and a longer one – 3 yards! – for tying around the hat and also under your chin, or just leaving to hang and flow in the wind.
Every season I just design whatever I feel inspired to at that time. I do not follow any color or design or material trends. I mostly just pick things up during my travels throughout the year that I set aside, or find inspiration in art exhibits or other things I am reading about and take it from there, building on the success of past seasons.
How do you juggle your family with work and travel? I’m so curious to know what difference you see in the Italian versus American daily life of a woman with a business, family, etc.
It has not been an easy juggle! When my daughters were younger and needed my attention more it was tough. Especially working from home as I was there, but during office hours, not with them. They didn’t understand that I was not neglecting playing with them, but rather working conveniently from home. And when I would try to explain that at least we could have lunch together and I could break away when necessary to taxi them from A to B or help with a project or run to the store, it was rarely enough! That happened with my friends in America too. Now that they are grown it is much easier. They are independent and resourceful! My husband wishes I would work less, and I am now managing to do so after many years of what felt like 24-7 to me and to them. Starting-up on your own without specific experience can be overwhelming and daunting. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Now fortunately business structures and largely are in place and running relatively smoothly. The family even helps me from time to time! Definitely the fact that family is usually nearby in Italy and grandparents usually have time to help is a bonus.
What does your typical work day look like?
I am up about 6.45. I have breakfast and get my youngest daughter off to school, then I meditate. If I have pressing matters I start working around 8.00 otherwise I take a 10k walk and start a little later. My office is in my home so it’s easy for me (often a little too easy!) to work all day doing a little bit of everything, meetings, design, emails, planning, PR,etc. until it’s time to prepare dinner around 7pm. If I haven’t yet taken a walk or worked out, I do it then. Lights out around 11.
Who inspires you creatively?
Painters, artists, my sisters. People who have the courage to think outside the box and act on it in their designs. Mother Nature! The best designer of all!
We love your style, which is no surprise given your background! Can you tell us who some of your favorite designers are?
With all the designers changing houses it’s hard to follow a large fashion house anymore. I tend toward smaller artisanal brands though Dries Van Noten remains a favorite. I also love Alaia, Gabriela Hearst, Urban Zen, Rabih Kayrouz, plus Thierry Colson, Kalita and Dosa for summer wear.
Can you name some of your favorite destinations/hotels/boutiques/restaurants in Italy for those of us that want to know? Since you live there…you must have some tried and true recommendations!
Sicily is my favorite place to visit in Italy. Amazing architecture, culture, food and the sea! We love sailing through the many islands just off the north and west coasts. I also love Sardinia – especially the South which is less built up and much more raw than the north, though you cannot go wrong. The food and nature are amazing there too. Then there are the usual places that are famous for very good reasons: Rome, Florence, Venice, Positano, Capri, Lake Como, Turin, Bologna, Naples… the list goes on and on. Shopping is good in every city, be it for fashion or home design. The Italians are born with design in their blood and culture, even in the tiniest towns you will find sophisticated, beautiful design. The list of great restaurants is likewise endless. There are so many in every city I wouldn’t know where to start! As far as hotels go, I usually prefer smaller, family run places, boutique hotels where they really look after you and you feel like you’re staying with friends, which I usually am, far more than in hotels after living here for so long!
Hats are such an important accessory, and one that is also protective for those that need to be protected from the sun. I love hats and buy them, but then have a hard time feeling comfortable when it is time to wear. What is your advice to women who may be a little hesitant to throw on a hat, and what two hat styles do you suggest for women to have in their closet?
Hats can often serve to either draw attention or to hide under. It depends on how you wear them! Often however you want neither attention nor to hide, you just want to put on a hat to finish off your look or protect yourself from the elements. Every season I create a very large collection as I try to design hats with all of these needs in mind. Some are more colorful, or with more design details, others are more neutral and understated. It’s important to find a hat you feel comfortable in in any of these situations. If it’s a fashion statement, the design and fit must absolutely fulfill that requirement. If it’s more about the elements then there are other factors to consider: a wide-brim for the sun and something lined and cozy for the cold. But why not respond to the elements with a touch of style? Style isn’t about screaming look at me, though it can be, but rather an outer expression of how we want to present ourselves to the world. And sometimes that is understated. Sometimes we want our clothes to speak and the hat is just the topping, literally. Other times it can anchor an outfit. Find your hat styles and build on them. Experiment! But always keep a wide-brim for shade from the sun, and something with a medium to narrow brim that you feel more comfortable walking around town in. Generally speaking, the taller and broader you are, the wider the brim. Face shape and fullness also has an influence on what looks best.
Can you share a quote or saying that is inspirational to you?
A Cuban saying: “Every head is a world”.
I love the recognition that we are each a unique being with our own inner world and the beauty of recognizing that this uniqueness is also what colors and completes the fabric of the larger worlds of our families, friends, communities and the rest of the globe as well.
And… I love putting a topper on those heads!
Thank-you for sharing your story Anne!
Filuhats can be found locally at:
2241 West Coast Highway
Newport Beach, CA 92663
Filuhats