Lola Hats

What Lola Hats does

Lola Hats is a privately held millinery and accessories brand founded in December 1989 by Lola (Lola Ehrlich), a Dutch-born French designer trained at the Fashion Institute of Technology and formerly Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Knitting. The company designs and produces handmade hats and bags from a 5,500-square-foot studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn, employing 15 artisans from Nepal, Finland, Japan, Ecuador, Holland, and Pakistan. Production techniques are explicitly traditional—hand-crocheting, hat blocking, stitching, and assembly—and raw materials are natural: raffia, cotton sailcloth, wheat straw, paper fiber, alpaca, and felt. The catalog is organized into Summer Hats (e.g., Tutti Frutti, First Aid, Camargo, Marseille), Bags (Lantern Basket, PB&J, Dumpling, Cornichon), a Sample Sale discount channel, and Millinery Supplies wholesale lots. All core products are made-to-order with a standard 3-week lead time and no two items are alike; a notable construction detail is hybrid material pairings such as cotton sailcloth crowns with raffia-tape brims.

Name

Lola Hats

Legal name

Lola Hats

Website

https://lolahats.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lola Hats is a Brooklyn-based handmade millinery brand founded in 1989, employing 15 international artisans to produce made-to-order hats and bags sold direct-to-consumer online and through select wholesale partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handcrafted Millinery

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Hats, Caps & Headwear (CRAAAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Headwear Manufacturing (Hats/Caps/Beanies) (IMAOAFAA), Luxury Hats & Headwear (CRAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Handmade millinery
• Artisan hats
• Summer accessories
• Raffia handbags
• Wholesale hats

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase model for handmade hats and bags sold directly to consumers through the e-commerce website. Products are handmade to order with 3-week lead times.
2. Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales of Lola Hats products to retail stores through wholesale program. Stores can contact for wholesale purchasing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lola Hats designs and produces handmade hats, bags, and small accessories in a 5,500-square-foot studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn, employing 15 artisans from diverse international backgrounds. Products are made-to-order with a 3-week lead time using traditional techniques including hand-crocheting, hat blocking, weaving, and stitching with natural materials such as raffia, straw, cotton, felt, paper, and alpaca.

Product overview

Lola Hats is a handmade hat and accessory brand founded in 1989, operating from a 5,500-square-foot studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn with 15 artisans from diverse countries. The company offers a single unified product line of handcrafted hats and bags, organized into seasonal collections and categories including Summer Hats, Bags, Sample Sale, Millinery Supplies, and Hat Care. The Summer Hats collection features distinct styles such as TUTTI FRUTTI, FIRST AID, CAMARGO, MARSEILLE, ESPARTINA, COMMANDO, FULL SUN, and others, while the Bags collection includes LANTERN BASKET, PB&J, DUMPLING, CORNICHON, and MINI MARKET. The Millinery Supplies category offers wholesale lots of fedoras and Panama hats. All products are handmade to order with 2-3 week production times, and no two items are exactly alike. The company also provides hat care products and services with instructions for various materials including knits, felts, straw, paper, and fabric.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lola Hats Wholesale: A wholesale platform for retailers interested in carrying Lola Hats products.

Products and services

• Tutti Frutti Hand-crocheted raffia fedora featuring fruit and flower cross-stitch motifs, made from 100% raffia. The size and position of motifs vary, making each hat unique.
• Fiscolo Rustic hand-stitched raffia hat inspired by textured mats used to press olive oil, with a flared crown and sun-sheltering brim. Made from 100% raffia.
• First Aid Go-to summer hat made of pliable raffia with ribbon ties for adjustable fit. Light, carefree, and packable. Body: Raffia; Trim: Rayon.
• Canyon Dust Raffia headband topped with a nonchalant, slightly off-center bow made of raffia tape with frayed and unfinished ends.
• Dad's Hat Oversized bucket hat made of two layers of woven raffia, molded on an oversized block. Brim edged with contrast zigzag stitch and toothbrush fringe.
• Hula Skirt Modern wheat straw hat with fringed raffia skirting on the brim, nonchalant silhouette with exotic flair.
• Marseille Classic wheat straw fedora with slightly oversized crown and narrow leather strap. Body: Wheat straw; Trim: Cowhide.
• Full Sun French gardener's hat-inspired design with elastic grosgrain chin strap and top stitching on brim. Trim: 80% polyester / 20% polyurethane.
• Commando Medium-brimmed fedora with supple raffia straw secured by adjustable leather tab. Trim: Leather.
• Camargo French rugged-chic wheat straw fedora inspired by Camargue area guardians. Body: 100% wheat straw; Trim: 100% rayon; Chin Strap: cowhide.
• Megaphone Vintage-inspired raffia visor/hat with detachable back that lays flat for travel. Ribbon through eyelets for secure fit. Peak length: 12 inches.
• Bread Bag Classic bucket-style hat updated with hybrid materials. Crown of cotton sailcloth canvas with raw edges and contrast stitching; raffia tape brim with zigzag stitching.
• Big Bread Basket Classic bucket hat with cotton sailcloth canvas crown and 3-inch pliable raffia tape brim zigzag stitched in contrast color. Designed as a travel hat.
• Flamingo Flexible bucket hat made of raffia with zigzag contrast stitches and synthetic feather trim. Crown height: 3.5 inches; Brim: 2 inches (3 inches with feather).
• Trou-Trou Tightly crocheted fine raffia fedora with eyelet ventilation patterning and flexible wire brim edge, with inside drawstring for size adjustment.
• Alpargatas Double-layer ultra-flexible woven raffia bucket hat with fringed edge and grosgrain chin tie. Body: 100% raffia; Trim: 100% rayon.
• Espartina Soft, pliable sun hat with dramatic brim and laced grosgrain crown inspired by traditional Basque espadrille ribbon ties, with chinstraps for windy days.
• Chewing Gum Basic fedora with large brim for sun protection. Raffia tape stitched and soaked overnight, then molded and pressed. Soft and pliable.
• Pool Boy Hand-crocheted fedora with striped grosgrain crown bands stitched with raffia cord. Crown Height: 3.75 inches; Brim: 2.5 inches.
• Naomi Italian tourist hat-inspired design from the 1950s with coconut shell eyes and PVC vinyl lips. Crown height: 5.5 inches; Brim: 7.5 inches (including fringe).
• Lantern Basket Handwoven raffia basket bag with canvas top in contrasting color, elastic cord closure, and adjustable elastic handle. Body: 100% Raffia/100% Cotton.
• Mini Market Miniature stitched raffia basket with inside pocket for phone and credit cards and elastic handle straps. Body: Raffia.
• Cornichon Long tapered tote made from 5/16 inch raffia tape sewn edge to edge with inside pocket, elastic straps, and natural leather handle.
• Dumpling Oblong tote made from 5/16 inch raffia tape sewn edge to edge with inside pocket, elastic straps, and natural leather handle. Width: 19.5 inches; Height: 9 inches.
• PB&J Square-ish, roomy tote made from 5/16 inch raffia tape sewn edge to edge with inside pocket, elastic straps, and natural leather handle. Basket: 100% Raffia.
• Trulli Small cloche with crochet brim and cable-outlined crown, handknitted in Peru. 70% alpaca, 23% polyamide, 7% wool.
• Braces Generously cuffed beanie with pulled-in traveling cable, knitted with six strands of yarn and topped with contrasting pompon. Made in Peru.
• Big Top Knitted beanie with deep bouncy stitch texture and four-color striping, deep cuff and multicolored pompon. Made in Peru.
• Lot of 14 Fedora Wholesale lot of 14 paper fiber fedoras. Fiber: 100% Paper. Final sale, no return, no refund.
• Lot of 4 Panama Nª2 Wholesale lot of 4 Panama (Toquilla) hats. Fiber: 100% Panama (Toquilla).
• Hat Care Care instructions and tips for hats including guidance for knits, felts, straw & paper, and fabric materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% handmade in Brooklyn studio
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• New York Botanical GardenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 April 2024TWIGGY and TUTTI FRUTTI hats were featured 'walking the runway' at the annual Orchid Show at NYBG, which featured fashion-inspired orchid displays by designers Hillary Taymour, Olivia Cheng, and Kristen Alpaugh.
• Caramel LondonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPetite Nap hat featured in Caramel London's collaboration collection with Zara. The hat was spotted in Caramel's styling and featured on Lola Hats' Instagram.
• Rachel ComeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLola Hats created custom pieces for Rachel Comey fashion show - specifically a straw bucket hat that walked the runway.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stephen Jones: Pioneering British milliner with a 40+ year heritage, couture-level hats, and deep runway collaborations with Dior and Galliano. Comparable artisanal millinery positioning at higher luxury price points.
• Borsalino: Iconic Italian hatmaker founded in 1857, with deep heritage in felt and straw fedoras. Comparable on traditional millinery craftsmanship and brand longevity, though at a different (higher) price tier.
• Eric Javits: Established New York milliner known for packable, travel-friendly hats and bags using proprietary Squishee fiber. Overlaps on NYC design heritage, functional sun hats, and bag adjacency.
• Loewe: Spanish luxury house with a leather goods and accessories heritage under Jonathan Anderson; competes at the high end with woven straw bags and raffia pieces. Comparable on raffia bag construction and resort wear adjacency.

Emerging players

• Muuñ: Paris-based handbag brand specializing in woven raffia and natural-fiber bags sold DTC globally. Comparable on raffia bag construction, French design heritage, and DTC-first premium positioning.

Direct peers

• Lack of Color: Australian-born handmade hat brand offering wool, felt, and raffia fedoras, bucket hats, and beanies at $150-$400 price points. Closest direct competitor in artisanal millinery with global DTC distribution and similar fashion-editor following.
• Sensi Studio: Hand-crocheted raffia hats and bags produced by artisan collectives in Madagascar. Shares Lola's handmade raffia construction, natural material sourcing, and resort/resort-wear customer base.
• Helen Kaminski: Australian hat brand famous for handmade raffia and woven hats, distributed globally through premium department stores and DTC. Direct comparable on raffia construction, sun-protection positioning, and wholesale + DTC model.
• Eugenia Kim: New York-based milliner offering embellished, statement hats at $200-$600 price points with celebrity and editorial following. Comparable on NYC design base, premium positioning, and handmade craft.
• Janessa Leoné: Brooklyn-based handmade hat designer offering hand-blocked wool felt, straw, and packable travel hats at premium ($200-$500) price points. Directly comparable on geography, craftsmanship narrative, and price band.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lolahats
• Xx.com/lolahats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lola Hats