Design (canadense)

Design: Sheri Wildhagen and David Grieg

This versatile, unisex hat is from Wildhagen’s Fall/Winter 2006 collection. With its distinctive (and very flattering) short brim and knit detailing that doubles as ear protection on cold days, Krys Cap has become one of their most popular designs.

From their small, two person studio, Wildhagen have turned out over 150 of these hats since last year and dozens more were sold through Barney’s New York. Now The GAP has picked up the design for large-scale production, which would be pretty flattering if the mega brand gave Wildhagen any credit for their design.

Shame - it’s not only a shady business move but also a missed opportunity: The GAP could easily afford to pay design royalties like everyone else and crediting the designers could be a real brand builder, giving the retailer a lot more fashion cred.