Derby Makers Series featuring Wild Hats

Today, consumer goods are considered to look “perfect” day one, but begin a quick decline after minimal use. Creating something with your own two hands has seen its time come and go. The one-of-a-kind, unique characteristics of handcrafted is hard to find. Luckily, we’ve found a couple folks doing things the right way. Introducing Wild Hats x Clayton & Crume.

Tucked away between two storefronts on market street in Louisville sits a small opening with a door labeled Wild Hats. At the top of the stairs begins a workshop that hosts a certain nostalgic charm, reminiscent of a scene from a 60’s cowboy film. There are two dogs roaming the workshop floor, VHS tapes playing on the box TV, old-school billiard style chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and there sits Chandler, Julian, and Ulysses working away at handcrafted custom headwear pieces.  

We like to call these guys the modern-day trailblazers–their commitment to craftsmanship is evident in every detail, from sourcing materials you would find in the wild or obscure antique shop gems they’ve gathered along the way. Each hat is molded on their cherry wood blocks carved from their very own farm. The hats are hand-sanded, hand-formed, and custom finished all by the skilled hat makers at Wild Hats.