Lock & Co.

stratcat · Jan 21, 2016

Bird Lives said:
and the hat was made from start to finish in Manchester at their own facility.

That is very interesting. Did they say where, other than just "Manchester"?

Stockport (now part of the huge metropolis that is Manchester) used to be the main manufacturing town of hats in the UK (and exported all across the globe) and the town where I was born and lived until my late teens.
Most of the uk hat output came from Stockport. Apparently the hat makers didn't put "Made in Stockport" on the hats because they thought, quite rightly, that no one would know where Stockport was, so they put made in London on them.
The local football team, Stockport County, has the nickname "The Hatters" and there is a dedicated museum to hats in the town.
Sorry for all the trivia, but I really thought that, apart from one or two individuals, actual hat making in the UK was dead and buried.

Mr. Pickett · Jan 21, 2016

If you ever return back to your old stomping ground and visit one of the museums, I'd love to see a thread showing some of the history of UK hat production.

Bird Lives · Jan 22, 2016

They said, the fur hood was sourced from Isesa....and the hat was made in Manchester at their facility, which is private. No tours or contact info needed. They told me the complete history of my hat from sourcing the fur to the finished hat being supplied to Brooks Bros in New York...They were thorough and Sue Simpson wrote me twice while this was going on....These guys make a fantastic hat and make you feel like one of the Lock & Co family...

I think we need a thread like a Lock & Co. Brotherhood kind of thing....I'd love to hear of other's Lock & Co. experiences aswell as checking out some of the Lock Porn....I might start one and see if anyone joins in, there doesn't seem to be alot of Lock & Co love around here...What do you guys think?

Mr. Pickett · Jan 22, 2016

Bird Lives said:
They said, the fur hood was sourced from Isesa....and the hat was made in Manchester at their facility, which is private. No tours or contact info needed. They told me the complete history of my hat from sourcing the fur to the finished hat being supplied to Brooks Bros in New York...They were thorough and Sue Simpson wrote me twice while this was going on....These guys make a fantastic hat and make you feel like one of the Lock & Co family...

I think we need a thread like a Lock & Co. Brotherhood kind of thing....I'd love to hear of others Lock & Co. Experiences aswell as checking out some of the Lock Porn....I might start one and see if anyone joins in, there doesn't seem to be alot of Lock & Co love around here...What do you guys think?

Defo. Would love to see this!

stratcat · Jan 22, 2016

Mr. Pickett said:
If you ever return back to your old stomping ground and visit one of the museums, I'd love to see a thread showing some of the history of UK hat production.

I actually paid a visit last year. I didn't take any pictures but it was very interesting. Growing up in the area I had no idea how big the hat industry was/had been. As far as I know, it's the only hat museum in the country. It amazed me how an industry that employed so many people and was such a big enterprise effectively disappeared within one generation. Such is fashion.
I would be interested in buying an English (especially if made in Manchester) hat. I might have to investigate further

belfastboy · Jan 22, 2016

RJR said:
Sounds as though they have you "hooked" just a matter of when you're reeled in!

belfastboy · Jan 22, 2016

I just checked out Lock's website. Damn they are expensive. They want double for an Akubra than what I can bring in from Australia. The customs fees must be a bitch. Also, their caps are over double what I can have a bespoke cap made on Etsy from a UK hatter and they are great caps.

Bushman · Jan 23, 2016

belfastboy said:
I just checked out Lock's website. Damn they are expensive. They want double for an Akubra than what I can bring in from Australia. The customs fees must be a bitch. Also, their caps are over double what I can have a bespoke cap made on Etsy from a UK hatter and they are great caps.

A lot of times, with a company like Lock & Co. you're paying for a long standing reputation and name as much as you are a hat. They do well enough because of their prestige to where they don't need every anybody off the street coming in and buying their products.

belfastboy · Jan 23, 2016

And you get a nice box with your overpriced newsboy!

stratcat · Jan 23, 2016

belfastboy said:
I just checked out Lock's website. Damn they are expensive. They want double for an Akubra than what I can bring in from Australia. The customs fees must be a bitch. Also, their caps are over double what I can have a bespoke cap made on Etsy from a UK hatter and they are great caps.

Ahh, yes. It had been a while since I had visited their web site. Now I remember why I have Akubras and not Lock hats

Bird Lives · Jan 23, 2016

Hey.....I've been pricing on line, their site and Brooks Bros....To tell the truth....I have seen my favorite Lock & Co. models become available from time to time at very reasonable prices...
I even picked up my Holy Grail, at a very reasonable price....I think this thing about them being over priced has been blown out of proportion....You just need to be vigilant or just pay the normal retail if it's not a problem....I couldn't afford that so I was vigilant....Same way we do for other high end quality products we want....And now I'm very happy with this hat....And the quality of this one is as high as I had hoped, maybe better...

As a Jazz musician, I have to be vigilant to aquire the best instruments without making Top 40 money....But I do and most times the best instruments charge for their name and quality service aswell as their quality product....So we check around and save and wait til opportunity presents itself....

If you want something else get it but if you want a certain Lock & Co....Shop around...I really think you can find one reasonably....and from what I've seen, their reputation is well deserved...I see high prices on custom hats all the time and no one questions those...I think we need to support quality hat makers where ever we find them! And great new hats are very hard to find indeed...

Bird Lives · Jan 26, 2016

Bird Lives said:
They said, the fur hood was sourced from Isesa....and the hat was made in Manchester at their facility, which is private. No tours or contact info needed. They told me the complete history of my hat from sourcing the fur to the finished hat being supplied to Brooks Bros in New York...They were thorough and Sue Simpson wrote me twice while this was going on....These guys make a fantastic hat and make you feel like one of the Lock & Co family...

I think we need a thread like a Lock & Co. Brotherhood kind of thing....I'd love to hear of other's Lock & Co. experiences aswell as checking out some of the Lock Porn....I might start one and see if anyone joins in, there doesn't seem to be alot of Lock & Co love around here...What do you guys think?

@mayserwegener , I thought you would be interested in what Lock & Co. Had to say about this modern Sandown...

Daniele Tanto · Jan 26, 2016

The European headgear to maintain a decent look has established in recent decades an intense exchange of products and manufacturing third parties. Bar none!
This is the reality that even the English hat makers have adopted.
There are very few factories felt in Europe, at least those that produce products of medium to high quality.
Isesa is one of these, in Spain it produces high quality felt hats and also hats very interesting with the brand Signes and others for the European market and to other manufacturers in EU and in other parts of the world.
Lock & Co. famous name in the hats production is one of those companies that seeks to address the lack of felt homemade buying (like many others) by producers of the Old Continent.

I honestly do not think they produce in their own hats, also because the brand ISESA inside the hat, is the witness, according to EU law, the place from which the artifact is produced.
Perhaps a small part of the production is carried out in England, but seeing the catalog, I have even more doubts.
One fact is indisputable: Lock & Co. puts on the market hats over price to maintain the status of quality that has always been a cornerstone to stand on the world market

mayserwegener · Jan 27, 2016

Bird Lives said:
@mayserwegener , I thought you would be interested in what Lock & Co. Had to say about this modern Sandown...

I have no information on Lock & Co. production so it was just a guess based on the label. I am still skepitcal but I have no dog in this fight. It's strange that they won't allow a tour of their production facility (I have even toured notoriously secretive TONAK). I searched around and couldn't find any images or videos of Lock & Co. hat production. It would be interesting to see what they are doing.

Bird Lives · Jan 27, 2016

mayserwegener said:
I have no information on Lock & Co. production so it was just a guess based on the label. I am still skepitcal but I have no dog in this fight. It's strange that they won't allow a tour of their production facility (I have even toured notoriously secretive TONAK). I searched around and couldn't find any images or videos of Lock & Co. hat production. It would be interesting to see what they are doing.

Hmmm...seems to be some doubt...I guess the meaning of the words 'production' and 'made' could be a matter of semantics...I read somewhere that if a hat was just pounced by a hatter they could claim they made it....

Have you guys heard anythings similar to that?

I do remember an interview with Sue where she said that most of their men's hats were made in Manchester and that thats where they kept their blocks...If they source their hoods from Isesa.....how far down the hat making process could that allow.....maybe right up to blocking?

mayserwegener · Jan 27, 2016

Like I said I don't have any information and I couldn't find any information online about their hat production process. I think what matters most is that you are happy with the quality of the hat.

Bird Lives · Jan 27, 2016

mayserwegener said:
Like I said I don't have any information and I couldn't find any information online about their hat production process. I think what matters most is that you are happy with the quality of the hat.

I second that....And I am knocked out with the hat....I bought it on sale just after Black Fri. a year ago at Brooks Bros for just under $170, reg. Marked price $388....and wore it into Bernie Utz Hat shop in downtown Seattle. There were several $300 hats there that I have liked in the past, aswell as one $600 hat, but there was no hat in the store as nice as this Lock that day...Of course ymmv...But the people working there were very impressed with the Sandown, and the manager said he had a proplem getting Lock & Co. hats, or else he would carry them all the time...

mikespens · Jan 27, 2016

Bird Lives said:
I think we need a thread like a Lock & Co. Brotherhood kind of thing....I'd love to hear of other's Lock & Co. experiences aswell as checking out some of the Lock Porn....I might start one and see if anyone joins in, there doesn't seem to be alot of Lock & Co love around here...What do you guys think?

There have been several threads started about Lock & Co here over the years. Not sure the Co. could support much of a love thread, not that many out there compared with all the USA hat corps and Borsy. One of my first vintage purchases was a very tired Lock, fortunately BSHW was able to restore it for me and I wear it regularly. Here's a couple of older pix of mine:

Bird Lives · Jan 28, 2016

mikespens said:
There have been several threads started about Lock & Co here over the years. Not sure the Co. could support much of a love thread, not that many out there compared with all the USA hat corps and Borsy. One of my first vintage purchases was a very tired Lock, fortunately BSHW was able to restore it for me and I wear it regularly. Here's a couple of older pix of mine:

Wow, Mike that Lock is perfect! I bet you have gotten scores of compliments on that one! Thanks for sharing this one again....What vintage would this one be ? The design is timeless...

mikespens · Jan 28, 2016

Thanks Bird. Based on the construction it was probably a 50-60's vintage, it has a an onion skin crown tip liner. The felt quality is very nice as is the construction, Bob was able to save everything except the sweat.

Lock & Co.

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One of the Regulars

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

A-List Customer

A-List Customer

I'll Lock Up

A-List Customer

A-List Customer

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A-List Customer

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