The Making of the Merino Collection
Each design in the Merino collection tells its own story. Ukiyo, Quaintrelle and Rococo draw inspiration from defining moments in history, embodying distinct expressions of femininity shaped by art, culture and bold acts of individuality.
The Character of a Hat
Handcrafted entirely from Merino wool with a silk lining, the collection celebrates fun and colour with each silhouette reflecting a distinct mood and personality. Designed for women, these hats are made to be lived in and styled with individuality.
Ukiyo: The Floating World
The Ukiyo (浮世), meaning floating world, emerged during Japan’s Edo period 1600 to 1867. It was an extraordinary era shaped by peace, prosperity and cultural growth. After centuries of unrest, Japan experienced a rare and sustained pause in conflict. Cities expanded, commerce flourished, infrastructure improved and a new urban middle class discovered something remarkable: leisure time and disposable income.
Edo, (now Tokyo) had a newfound energy. Largely closed to foreign trade, this isolation nurtured a distinctive and highly urban culture. The saying “fire and quarrels are the flowers of Edo,” captured the spirited and sometimes volatile character of the city. Yet from this intensity came remarkable creativity. Theatre, poetry, fashion and the celebrated Ukiyo woodblock prints honoured beauty and pleasure. The floating world was not about permanence, but presence. The Ukiyo hat was designed to embody that spirit.
True to its name, the Ukiyo hat is vibrant and confident, created for the modern urban dweller. It carries an unapologetic boldness. Designed for everyday wear, it transforms the ordinary into something intentional and alive. Much like the floating world, this unique piece invites you to move through the city with presence. To dress not only for function but for feeling and to bring vibrancy into the everyday.
Because style, like Ukiyo, is about capturing beauty in the moment before it gently drifts away.
Quaintrelle: Unapologetically bold
Quaintrelle is a word rooted in 19th-century culture, born as the feminine counterpart to the’ dandy’, a figure devoted to elegance, wit, and the art of living beautifully. Where the dandy curated his life with precision, the quaintrelle claimed that same authorship with a distinctly feminine voice. She chose passion as her compass, whether in dress, in leisure, in conversation, or most definitely in presence. To be a quaintrelle was never about vanity alone. It was about taking the reins of one’s own story and wearing it well, finding delight in the details, and moving through the world with a wink of self possession and a heart set on living beautifully on one’s own terms. It was something daring for its time, a distinctly nineteenth century rebellion for women.
The hot pink merino wool hat designed by Herbert Johnson carries this lineage forward. Soft to the touch yet impossible to ignore, it mirrors the duality of the quaintrelle herself: warmth paired with daring. Shaped in a jaunty asymmetric fedora silhouette with a sweeping brim, it is created for the woman who dresses not to fade into the background but to live vividly and with flair. It is a piece for the modern woman to style with confidence and a sense of play, embracing fashion not as obligation, but as pleasure.
Rococo: A response
The final piece in the bold Merino trio is the Rococo, a design that draws its spirit from the eighteenth century French art movement that emerged as a rebellion against the weight and drama of Baroque. Where Baroque asserted grandeur and monumentality, Rococo favoured intimacy and charm, exchanging spectacle for nuance and refinement. It was less about awe and more about atmosphere.
This hat carries that same cultivated playfulness. Its silhouette feels composed yet unforced, the Merino wool lending a softness that heightens its delicacy. Within it runs a subtle dialogue. The bold violet crown eased by a pastel ribbon, as if the Baroque and Rococo sensibilities are meeting at a single, decisive moment. The contrast feels deliberate rather than conflicted, as though the two tones were always destined to find harmony. Each curve moves with gentle rhythm, echoing the ornamental grace of Rococo interiors and paintings.
The Herbert Johnson hat is made for those afternoons that unfold slowly, filled with easy conversation and an appreciation for the finer details. It feels expressive without trying too hard, modern yet still aware of where it comes from. When you put it on, it does more than finish an outfit. It shifts your mood, lending a natural confidence and an ease that feels entirely your own.
