[Behind the Scenes]
The long awaited Thelonious Monk Icon Series is almost here. A behind the scenes look at Gaku's poster design for our next Icon Series release.
Credit: Manabu 'Gaku' Inada
Happy Birthday to a pioneer in modern jazz— The great Thelonious Monk.
Optimo is proud to announce our second limited-edition Icon Series hat, which will be named ‘The Monk’.
This rare release will be limited to 88pcs - a number jazz aficionados will appreciate.
Special thanks to the Thelonious Monk foundation and the Monk family for their wonderful partnership supporting this special project, and allowing Optimo to honor Monk’s music and legacy through our craft.
The expected release date will be late 2025.
Stay tuned!
As May fades and Memorial Day draws the curtain on spring, we turn to straw.
The Montecristi steps forward — light, breathable, and born to shield from the sun.
Crafted for summer. Worn with purpose.
Watch how a true summer hat is born.
#Montecristi #OptimoHats #TheArtOfAHatmaker #StrawSeason #MemorialDay #AmericanCraftsmanship
Optimo Voices | Hanna Stilling Larsen
"Most of my clothes are associated with specific events: Dresses for parties, jumpsuits and jeans for work, and tracksuits for lazy Sundays. My hat? It goes well with it all."
For Hanna, her Optimo is more than an accessory—it’s a constant. A signature piece that moves seamlessly through every chapter of her day-to-day.
| Hat Specs |
Brim Width: 2 3/4"
Brim Edge: Raw
Crown Height: Standard
Ribbon Width: 1 1/2"
Optimo Voices | Marlon Harvey
Horseman. Mounted Patrol. A man with timeless style.
"I was born with an old soul. I have an appreciation for things from long ago—a time when things were built better, lasted longer, and were not expected to be replaced."
Marlon wears his Optimo with the same pride and purpose he brings to his work—rooted in tradition, built to endure. Marlon has an extensive Optimo hat collection, but he still wear this one. Purchased in the late 1990's, he's had this hat renovated many times over the last 25 years.
| Hat Specs |
Brim Width: 2-1/2"
Brim Edge: Bound
Crown Height: Medium
Ribbon Width: 1-1/8"
This past January we were honored to welcome the @the_satorical_club on their Chicago field trip for a tour of our workshop and downtown store. A gathering of true connoisseurs, appreciating the artistry, craftsmanship, and heritage that define Optimo.
Photographer | @SeenBySonny
#OptimoHats #SartorialClub #ChicagoStyle #HandcraftedExcellence
Honorary Street Naming
Please join us in honoring Johnny L. Tyus on October 30th from 4:30 - 5:30 PM (at the corner of 79th and Racine). The street will be named "Johnny L. Tyus - 'The Hat Man' Ave"—in recognition of his decades of hatmaking in Chicago.
He mentored Graham Thompson, who founded Optimo Hats, where Johnny’s legacy continues to this day.
RSVP: https://lu.ma/4t509dxp?tk=ZjBtZQ
It was a pleasure talking with the Robb Report @robbreport about our work at Optimo. The piece is featured in the latest issue. Click the link in our stories to read it. #robbreport #optimohats
“Finishing the Hat • The Fine Art of Optimo”
—
“For me, a hat is the most personal and iconic thing,” Thompson says.
“When I’d watch old film noirs with my Dad, it was the hats that my eye went to. When I see a picture of Bob Dylan, Hendrix, all the way back to Bogart, how could they not have a hat on? Think about the cowboys without their hats. The dignity of dress.
The making of hats like we make hats disappeared from the market. That’s one big reason I make them and don’t just buy them.”
— Graham Thompson
Special thanks to @newcitymag for the profile.
Limited, Rare Colors: Maroon, Celadon, Lapis Blue
_
Did you know every color offered by Optimo has been meticulously sourced and custom-made exclusively for @optimohats ?
While this process renders each Optimo hat rare and a collectible in its own right, it also means that the limited Maroon, Celadon, and Lapis Blue silver beaver felts in our cellar may never return again.
Fewer than a dozen of these rare colors are still available. Each color can be ordered in any style from the Optimo Collection or as a custom hat. Clients will be honored on a first-claimed basis.
![[Behind the Scenes]The long awaited Thelonious Monk Icon Series is almost here. A behind the scenes look at Gaku's poster design for our next Icon Series release.Credit: Manabu 'Gaku' Inada](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6739203970624134521338_0_b4353ebfe6a8f6d77237b69f5bb292f0.jpg?o=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&h=08d74b6653732a32e04ba97406009f66)
