Sassy sur la tête
[Interviewed by Carolyn Tang of ShareASale]
Had a chance to chat with Susan Lee of The Village Hat Shop for a bit. Not only is she the merchandising manager and head buyer for Village Hat Shop, she is also the designer behind the Sur La Tête line. Susan's goal was to create a line of fashion-forward hats that combine great quality with great price. You can find a $10 baseball cap anywhere, but it's difficult to find a great straw boater for less than $30...not with Sur La Tête.
Thought you might enjoy this exchange between Susan and I.
***
Q: What words might you use to describe sur la tête style? What is the personality of the brand?
A: Well the name of the line is very tongue in cheek; it translates to "on the head" in French. The quirky name of the line presents a fun and carefree characteristic, one that appeals to both first time hat customers and veterans of the accessories world. I wanted the line to exude a classic aesthetic with a contemporary flair.
The goal of sur la tête hats is to appeal to a wide customer demographic. I wanted to create hats that were fun and cute made from classic and simple design elements.
Q: Can you give us some insight into the kind of person who would buy a sur la tête hat?
A: I imagine the sur la tête customer in many ways: from a young girl who opts to stand out amongst the crowd by wearing a hat to a customer who is an avid hat collector. These are not just fashion savvy individuals but those who welcome onlookers, eyes are immediately drawn to those who wears hats, whether you're walking down the street or at the beach, hatters are noticed no matter what. The hat is not just an accessory to a wardrobe, but it makes a bold statement about the individual's personality.
Q: How did you get into hats?
A: I remember my first introduction to hats was when I first had a Mickey Mouse hat embroidered with my name from Disneyland. It made me feel very special and I wore the hat until it fell apart. Later in my life, vintage apparel became an interest and in turn I became interested in vintage accessories. Once I started working for the Village Hat Shop, I learned about the wide spectrum of headwear and it's history in the fashion world.
Q: Of all the hats you designed, which one sticks out in your mind as one of your favorites, and why?
A: I have 2 favorites, one from the Fall/Winter line and the other from the Spring/Summer line, but I do love all the hats. The Fifi Flowerpot is a great and versatile hat, it's playful and allows the customer to wear it in an individual manner. The 60s shape invokes an energetic vibe; you can imagine an A-line dress and faux lashes to accompany this fun hat.
The Suzette Swinger from the Spring/Summer line is a great hat, one that is both fashionable and functional. You can wear this hat to the beach and then pin a flower on it and wear it to a Sunday brunch. The wide brim provides ample sun protection.
Q: What are some great sur la tête hats for summer?
A: All of them of course! They all offer a little something different from the other in style. If you want to follow the Western craze, the Calamity Cattleman is a great choice.
If you are looking for a bit of color, the Lola Flowerpot's warm tones compliments all facial tones.
A great garden hat is the Bonjour Boater, the chinstrap secures this durable twisted seagrass straw on your head while your hands are mixed in with mother earth.
Lastly, the Suzette Swinger can follow you on vacation to the beach or the sunny streets of Paris during July.
Hola faretaste
mekodinosad
Posted by: AnferTuto | July 27, 2007 at 05:49 PM
Hello, great site. I found here many interesting information. Thank u very mutch!
Posted by: candylover | September 17, 2007 at 04:27 PM
Hey really ir very nice...I am glad to post my views and points in this blog, but I must say that webmaster of this blog has done a very great job to make his blog more informative and more discussable.....
http://www.flowergirldressforless.com
Posted by: FLower Girl | July 03, 2008 at 07:43 AM
This blog Is very informative , I am really pleased to post my comment on this blog . It helped me with ocean of knowledge so I really belive you will do much better in the future . Good job web master .
Posted by: flower girl dress | October 23, 2008 at 01:56 AM