Nice Collective: Trilby Hat

 THE ASKMEN TAKE

This item appears in our Spring Fashion Preview 2010.

In a world where bigger is supposed to be better, Nice Collective is on the opposing team. Friends Joe Haller and Ian Hannula founded the San Francisco-based clothing label in 1997. Their original conception: An everyday DJ agency with a nightclub and clothing label mixed in for good measure. That pie-in-the-sky dream fortunately faded, and what we’re left with is a boutique brand of men’s clothing and accessories with a notable voice:California cool meets East Coast edge. After disappearing from runway shows for over a decade (we’re told it was deliberate), the line has reemerged stronger, darker, and yes, online. StoreRoom, Nice Collective’s one-stop Internet shop, launched last year with minimal inventory to complement the label’s not-so-mass-market feel. This hat is just one of a handful of their limited electronic offerings.

UNIQUENESS

Traditional trilbies rose to fame on London’s West End at the turn of the 20th century in a play that gave the hat its curious name. After peaking in popularity during the 1920s, the style -- a severely dented crown that slopes to a pinch at the front -- fizzled out by the mid-'60s. Nice Collective’s rounded take on the trilby, if you want to get all textbook about it, is more consistent with a bowler. But whatever the case, seasonal straw has thankfully replaced the tried and true felted construction for increased breathability. And the brown hatband is a detail you’ll only find on StoreRoom.

 DURABILITY

The Three Little Pigs taught a tough lesson at a young age: Don’t build anything out of straw -- unless, of course, it’s tightly woven and treated to perform like a fortified fabric. Nice Collective’s trilby uses sturdier straw that makes a point of letting you know this isn’t some flimsy panama or a disposable dud from H&M. And unlike many things in life where cost and quality aren’t directly related, the price tag here is proof of a worthy, long-lasting addition to your summer wardrobe.