Mountain Hat # 2

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Vivienne Westwood World's End shop

Malcolm McLaren & the World’s Famous Supreme Team 1982

There has been a lot of interest in the Mountain hat recently due to Pharrell Williams’ wearing of one at the Grammy awards a few days ago (nice one Pharrell).
First produced in 1982 for the ‘Nostalgia of Mud’ fashion show, the hat has been part of the regular look at the World’s End shop.
Made to look like a bashed in hillbilly’s hat it was worn by Malcolm in his Buffalo Girls music video & on the back of his Duck Rock album.
Actually the Mountain hat is the second in the line of Westwood ‘oversized’ hats. The first was the giant bowler a year before in the Savages collection & since then there has been the John Bull & the Giant Cowboy. This summer there will be the Pilgrim hat & later in autumn the Giant Top hat.
The look of the ‘Nostalgia of Mud’ collection including the mountain hat had been inspired largely by imagery of Peruvian women whose indigenous outfit is to wear knee length circle skirts which swing when they dance, short jackets, blankets around them which they can use to carry things in & felt hats. Coinciding with this Malcolm had had another idea that the look should have the imaginary story behind it that gangs of tribal people living in the north would climb over Hadrian’s Wall at night & come to British nightclubs where they would be the most stylish, interesting people around. Then in the morning they would disappear again back over the wall leaving everyone wondering who they were.
Sheepskin was used a lot in the collection, but contrary to normal practice Vivienne did not bind the edges of any of the skins leaving them raw & ragged.
The Mountain hat has been made in a whole range of colours in felt (about 12 colours) although the black & the brown colours are the most popular. It has also been made in straw.
The hat is not mass produced so there are times when supply of them runs a bit short but they are regularly made (see ‘Behind the scenes Tom’ post) so everybody gets one in the end.

Mountain Hat… Exclusive to World’s End shop… Price £95

Vivienne Westwood

Malcolm with the Hillbillys

Malcolm McLaren

Duck Rock album 1982

Vivienne Westwood

‘Nostalgia of Mud’ collection 1982

Peruvian women

Peruvian women

Peruvian hats

Peruvian hats

Peruvian women

Peruvian women

 

 

 

 

 

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42 thoughts on “Mountain Hat # 2”

  1. Thanks again Ben for an insight into an interesting piece. I do find it baffling how far ahead of everybody else Vivienne has, and still remains to work. Such reference and intelligence in her work. What a brilliant partnership Westwood and Mclaren really were.

    This hat, as you say has been here since 1982 and as soon as the latest ‘celebrity’ wears it, everyone wants one. I did prefer it when Vivienne was less commercial. However, she does remain the greatest fashion designer ever.

  2. Thanks Ben for all the info! I love the Buffalo hats! I’ve got 4 of them which I’ve been wearing for years! I just need the 9 other colours for my collection! I’m also very excited about the giant top hat…I must have one!

  3. Yeah I remember all the trendy South London kids wearing the Mountain Hat with their Star jeans and shell toe sneakers at the Mud Club in Charing Cross Rd back in the mid eighties. Always wanted one but they were always out of stock…

  4. Thanks for the stroll down the memory lane, Ben. I love that particular collection. So much fun then. So creative and oh so fashion forward. Thanks again.

  7. So chuffed the hat is under £100 just . Is it in different ( actual head measurement ) sizes ?
    Thanks from Odette.

  10. My husband fell in love with that hat and would love to buy one for him for his birthday in mid April, is there any chance that I may purchase one by then? Please let me know, thank you so much.

  13. I remember the buffalo boy hats: Andy Weatherall wore one down Windsor high street years and years ago. That was fine, it’s was the Antenna dreads that got him slapped though – by a dread, i believe.
    I want one -Just for sex games mind.

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  20. My husband never wants or asks for anything except you hat!! Is there a site so I can buy one and can you send to the U.S.A. Oris there a store here that sells them?? Thank you do much!!

  21. I am interested in a Mountain Hat #2, what would cost be including shipping to Texas, USA and how long would it take to arrive? Thanks

  22. I am interested in a Mountain Hat #2, Black, Red, Green, Yellow how long and what would be the shipping to Alabama?

  23. How can I purchase one of these mountain hats? I couldn’t find it on this page unless I’m just blind. Let me no if you can! Please and thank you.

    • Hello Kyle,
      Worlds End shop only take telephone or e-mail orders at the moment. These are to be found on the site homepage. You should contact Lise or one of the other staff members there & they will be happy to help you. There is a bit of a waiting list backlog on the hats at the moment but I am sure you will get one.

  24. Hi … I enquired about purchasing a hat in straw on 3 March via email but did not receive a response. I hate to inundate your email monthly but should I send another? Please let me know. Regards.

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  26. hi,
    i m trying to purchase one of those worlds end Mountain hat but cannot find it online?
    where could i buy it?

    Thank u

  27. Last week i got my mountain hat (camel color) from the Worlds End Shop at last. I ‘ve been waiting for it for two months. It is great . I wear it with so much different styles of clothes. For example i wore it today with my Burberry trench coat , and it looks so stylish. Thank you again Lise for completing my order.

  28. would like to preorder the pink mountain hat. Please call me in USA at 337-247-4231. California store does not have it.

  29. Thanks again for the great Buffalo hat (Camel)…have already received tons of compliments so well done!!!

  30. I would like to order a mountain hat since it is impossible to buy in Hong Kong,
    Any bright colours available recently?
    I wish i could get purple or red …. my favourite colour :)
    Can i place an order for it ?
    thank you so much!!
    Yuen

  31. Any chance that the green Mountain Hat is back in? I am an American hot dog (a lot of other foods too) eater with Major League Eating and I would love to wear one for the ESPN broadcast on July 4th for the hot dog eating contest. I blog at the Huffington Post and have done lots of media and fun shows (even a few in England including Morgan Spurlock’s on Sky TV). I probably can’t make the hat more famous than Pharell, but I am willing to try. Let me know where I can send my hard won food eating prize money for a sweet hat. I wear a hat at every contest to keep the dreads out of mouth – I have some nice ones, but this would be a real crown.
    Eat All You Can,

    Crazy Legs Conti
    http://www.crazylegsconti.com