Borsalino hats - a history of style

The story of the wonderful Borsalino hats begins in the early 1850's, in a small town in Italy called Alessandria. There, a young man named Giuseppe Borsalino set up his first hat making work shop, having learnt the skill as an apprentice in France. Giuseppe proved to be a canny entrepreneur, and like many successful men, was definitely ahead of his time in terms of the processes he set up in his business.

Giuseppe Borsalino was destined for success. From that young apprentice keen to learn the ancient trade, he became one of Italy's most important businessmen of the late 1800's - helping steer the country towards its now famous reputation as a hub of fashion, design and art.

From those humble beginning, Giuseppe grew his business to one of Italy's largest - at his death in 1900, he employed over 1,000 people, selling almost 2 million hats per year at its peak. Typically, Giuseppe also implemented cutting edge social policies as well, providing his employees with health insurance and even a pension fund - which was almost unheard of at the time.

Alas, the first half of the 20th Century proved to be the company's Golden Age. Though the company was ably managed by Giuseppe's son, Teresio Borsalino, it became a victim of changing fashions, and as it became acceptable for men to be seen in public without headgear, so the fortunes of the company began to fade.

Fortunately the company manged to survive, and is established today as a famous manufacturer of hand made hats, epitomising style and panache. As fashions begin to change yet again, it seems as though more and more men are beginning to take an interest in hat wear, and in such a time the Borsalino must stand out as a supreme hat, superbly designed and worth the extra price tag attached to it. In an age such as ours, of mass consumerism and the shopping mall culture, the Borsalino hat stands out as a reminder of another age, whose values still exert a strong influence om men across the world - and long may that influence continue.

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