Mister Miller has been making hats for over 30 years: what started as a stint of work experience at the tender age of 14 went on to become a skill he learned to master and enjoy. Miller remembers helping his father work from home making clothes. “The bobbin was winding side to side, super fast on a lovely old vintage Singer sewing machine, I was 12 years old and that was when it all started. It wo
uld be blouses, skirts, ski-pants (I know) … but I do remember making my first hat. It was a promotion for Tour de France and Michelin tyres, cycling caps.”
He was introduced to the hatting tradition in the heart of Luton. Long established as the leading hat making town of the UK, it was peppered with factories that had sprung up as far back as the 16th century. In 1571, Parliament sought to save the domestic wool industry and passed a law forcing all males to wear a wool cap on Sundays and holidays, with law breakers facing a 3 farthing fine. While the law was repealed 26 years later, it had become a tradition and people had grown fond of wearing woollen hats. Olney’s Headwear, established in 1915, had a reputation for making the best fine hats and caps in the UK. From 1988 on-and-off until 2019, Miller was to craft hats for luxury brands and internationally celebrated hatters worldwide. He worked closely with the in-house designers becoming a supervisor and an integral member of the design team. Miller particularly enjoyed working with the cool Misa Harada; her unique style championed by Thierry Mugler, Yohji Yamamoto, and her work exhibited at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Miller started being sought out for his expertise beyond his work at Olney’s. The work became regular and so taking a chance, he left Olney’s, made caps for the first Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival and then started his namesake brand, Mister Miller. Mister Miller hand makes every one of his caps in Britain using the noblest materials from leading weavers of wools, cashmeres and Harris tweeds. During the warmer months, these give way to washed linen, seersucker, cotton and selvedge denim promising cool shady heads. Rooted in tradition and peppered with contemporary accents, everything about the product is conceived to transcend time: the luxurious materials are paired with contrasting peaks made of aged leather, tonal variations, pops of colour and tartan wools. The branding is quietly suggested on the inside of the hats leaving the focus on the wearer and their style. Every cap is created for men and women alike with the occasional family outfit being made-to-order complete with monograms. Some have even been known to include a favourite teddy bear.
