Publications
Partners
- World-renowned, South African hatmaker Crystal Birch will be launching a new store in Johannesburg.
- It will be opened in Johannesburg's 44 Stanley, giving locals access to Birch's latest collection, inspired by the Wild West.
- The collection features hats made of wool felt and wheat straw, including sun hats, cowboy hats, Fedoras and more.
- For more lifestyle news, go to the News24 Life front page.
World-renowned hatmaker and brand Crystal Birch recently announced that she would open a new store in Johannesburg, bringing customers a new collection, titled A:Head.
The Cape Town-based company specialises in creating and crafting head pieces, including fedoras, cowboy hats, straw hats, berets, beanies and other elaborate hats for various occasions.
The Johannesburg store will be opened at 44 Stanley on 6 April 2024, offering customers easy access to the milliner's latest collection, which features hats made from various materials, including 100% wool felt, Meluzine hare felt, and wheat straw.
According to Birch, the A:Head Collection, aimed at fostering sustainability and showcasing the brand's artisanship, was inspired by the rugged landscapes and free-spirited nature of the Wild West, with each hat exuding a unique personality and style. Among the pieces are ones named Hunter, Willow, Rodeo and Ziggy.
"This collection is a love letter to all the incredible women in our lives," Birch said. "Our mothers, sisters, friends - it's about recognising their bravery, confidence and talent, and adorning them with the necessary armour to continue shaping our creative landscape."
The collection also tells the story of empowerment, individuality, and self-expression, featuring in its campaign figures such as Rushda Moosajee, Kat van Duinen, Jenna McArthur, Kitso Kgori, and Whitney Rhodes.
While the brand has had a presence in many parts of South Africa, including Johannesburg, for a while now, it only had a store in Cape Town and customers in Johannesburg had to buy the hats online or at the We Are EGG store in Rosebank.
Over the years, the hatmaker has collaborated with various local and international designers, including Thebe Magugu, MaXhosa Africa and Studio Viviers. Birch's work has also been featured in several issues of Vogue and worn by celebrities, such as Bonang Matheba.
In the opening scene of Episode 3 of Matheba's YouTube show, she wore a hat by Birch, couriered to her at a shoot in the heart of the Cape winelands for her House of BNG brand.
