British hat maker Kangol celebrated their 75th anniversary on October 24th, with a splashy event featuring interactive displays, live art, and several DJs.
Founded in 1938, and originally popular with the British military, the iconic hats were embraced as Colonial chic in the 1970’s by Jamaican singers, and later adopted by inner-city fashion plates in New York City in the 1980’s.
In fact, Hip Hop legends such as Run-D.M.C., L.L. Cool J, M.C. Shan, and Slick Rick, all appear on album covers wearing Kangol hats.
Thursday’s venue was a large gallery space in Sheung Wan that was completely branded in Kangol imagery. The walls were painted with a timeline of the hat maker’s history. Local illustrator Cath Love added colorful visuals that told the story of the brand.
At the party, a live art session took place with artists Cara To, Cath Love and M.C. Yan.
Throughout the night, DJs played music that coincided with periods from the Kangol timeline.
In addition to displays of Kangol hats, an interesting hanging gallery allowed guests to try on different styles and compete in a game to win a hat.
The event was well-attended, attracting a stylish crowd that was a good mix of local influencers and artists.
