Craft guide
ORBISHATTERS & MILLINERS IN LONDON4 stores · curated ORBIS register
London, UK
Bates is a London hatter within Hilditch & Key's shop at 73 Jermyn Street. Its range runs from flat caps to formal top hats and includes styles for different seasons. Shoppers can try on shapes in person and seek advice on choosing a hat.
Best for Trying on classic hats and caps on Jermyn Street
London, UK
Hatmaker since 1773; Prince Albert wore a Christys' top hat in the 19th century, and Marlon Brando wore a Christys' Homburg as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Best for Top hats, bowlers, trilbies and British millinery
Christys' has made hats in England since 1773, giving it a claim to being among the oldest continuously operating hat houses in the country. Its early reputation was built on top hats and bowlers; Prince Albert wore a Christys' top hat in the 19th century, helping establish the house among Britain's traditional gentleman's outfitters of the period.
Its most cited modern cultural moment is cinematic rather than royal: a Homburg hat from Christys' was worn by Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather, a piece of costuming the brand itself now leans on in its own marketing. Winston Churchill is also cited among its historic wearers.
The house continues to produce its hats — including panamas, fedoras, trilbies and flat caps alongside its original top hats and bowlers — using traditional felt- and straw-blocking techniques, manufactured in England rather than outsourced, which is the throughline connecting its 18th-century founding to its current product range.
London, UK
London millinery house founded in 2009 by Zofia, with hatmaker Alex joining shortly after, based in Covent Garden's New Row. Hand-blocks hats and caps from British cloth for ready-to-wear, bespoke, film and fashion-week commissions.
Best for Hats, handcrafted
Laird Hatters was founded in London in 2009 by Zofia, who opened the label's first shop selling ready-to-wear headwear soon after starting the business; hatmaker Alex joined shortly afterward as the house's principal maker. The company is built around traditional hand-blocking techniques — shaping felt and other materials by hand over wooden hat blocks — and sources cloth specifically from British mills as part of a stated commitment to supporting UK textile manufacturing rather than relying on imported materials. Laird operates several stores across central London, including its shop on New Row in Covent Garden, alongside a bespoke service for custom headwear. The company has built a reputation beyond retail through collaborations with British fashion designers, with its hats and caps appearing at London Fashion Week and London Collections: Men. It also produces bespoke pieces for television and film productions, work that sits alongside its retail and ready-to-wear lines. The Covent Garden location places Laird within one of London's historic retail and craft districts, and the brand markets itself specifically on British craftsmanship and material sourcing as points of differentiation from mass-produced headwear.
London, UK
Lock & Co Hatters traces its London business to Robert Davis's shop in 1676 and the later involvement of James Lock. Its range includes felt hats and caps, with the Coke or bowler forming part of its history. The shop also provides guidance on hat selection and care to help customers consider fit and material before a purchase.
Best for Felt hats, caps and guidance on choosing a hat
Lock & Co Hatters traces its history to the shop opened by Robert Davis in London in 1676. The Lock family became connected with the business through James Lock, who inherited it after marrying into the Davis family. Its St James's Street history is part of the shop's identity, alongside the hats it supplies today.
The present range includes felt hats and caps, with seasonal styles and a separate interest in the Coke, or bowler. The company also publishes guidance on choosing a hat and caring for it after purchase. Shape and fit are practical starting points, particularly for someone who usually buys caps but is considering a more structured hat.
Try the relevant style with the clothes and outerwear you expect to wear, rather than selecting it from a historical association alone. Ask how the actual material should be stored and cleaned before making a final choice. A business with a long London history can still sell products with different material and manufacturing origins, which need checking individually.
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