It was about 12 years ago when we (me and my hubby) went to our first fashion trade show in Vegas and somehow I knew that things would never be the same again. After that first show I found that one of the most interesting things about owning a boutique and carrying smaller brands is getting to know the people, personalities and faces behind the brands and the story...the story is the best part!
If you’ve been following us, you might have noticed we have an OBSESSION for ASN Hats. They are hand made hats that are fashion forward yet timeless. We had the pleasure of seeing the sisters who started the brand the last 2 shows and getting to know them better over the year that we have carried the brand. ⠀
They were kind enough to answer a few of our questions like where they find inspiration and how they got started! ⠀
1) How did you start ASN hats?
We started designing hats out of our apartment in Los Angeles. Our first design was the Cordobes flat-top hat, it’s a modern take on the Spanish hat. We couldn’t find a hat that fit properly so we added the elastic to help with the fit. We started ASN after we noticed there weren’t any hats that were reasonably priced that had the same quality of a custom-made hat, while being sustainable, and cruelty-free. We wanted to bring hats back into our daily wardrobe. We grew organically and began by selling our designs at local markets across Los Angeles, this helped us get face to face feedback from customers which has helped us better understand what our customers are looking for. Our main focus is our customers, we always encourage them to take photos and send them to us so we can feature them on our Instagram. It is amazing how technology has given customers a voice and the freedom to be more in touch with their favorite brands.
2) Why the name ASN?
ASN are the initials of the designer. It also carries our family’s initials, which we hold dear to hearts. A fun fact is that the logo was created before we knew we were going to make hats and follow in our family’s manufacturing footsteps. Our ancestors used to make shoes in the early 1950’s.
3) Who and or what inspires your designs?
A great inspiration was Audrey Hepburn, she is such an iconic woman who looked great in hats. Her elegance is indistinguishable.
However, Los Angeles streetwear was our key inspiration in all of our designs. We have the fun streets with vibrant colorful murals, perfect for a quick selfie! The weekend brunch spots, as well as the beach and the sunny days, making it such an easy accessory to rock year round. There’s a hat that could fit into every area of LA.
4) Tell us a little bit more about you and your siblings
We are two sisters closer in age who are the creators of ASN and a younger brother who is still in college (who helps us from time to time).
We are lucky to have one another, especially starting our company we definitely complement each other very well. One of us is focused on the design of each hat and the other handles the operations while managing the business. However, we both have our input in each aspect of the company which is why we have been successful in executing even the most meticulous tasks. We have to wear many hats running a small business!
