Miss Dior Leather/snakeskin bucket hat

[lovehatefashion]

Hello! I recently found a Miss Dior leather bucket hat and would love more information. I understand the label itself points to the late 60s and the mod style definitely reflects that. I would love to just come across another photo of it or perhaps someone else has seen this hat before? Looking at this label online, the hats seem to be mostly furry or fabric. I think I found one other leather-type, but the pics weren't great. I am still in the midst of research, so any info -- nothing is too small, it's all helpful, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Main body is a wheat leather
Band is a chocolate brown snakeskin
Interior brim seems to be a nice poly (could be wrong here) DTM leather
Interior of hat is a heavy fabric, very similar to the interior ribbon (ribbon is hand stitched on)
Number "22" label underneath main label

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

Hi,

I actually have seen this hat before. My opinion is that it is mid 1960s, maybe 1964-1966 ish. Are you sure the hat is leather and not vinyl, as well as the hatband? The ones I have seen were a synthetic leather, as yours looks to be. The lining is faille. What else did you want to know about your cute hat?

 

[lovehatefashion]

Hi,

I actually have seen this hat before. My opinion is that it is mid 1960s, maybe 1964-1966 ish. Are you sure the hat is leather and not vinyl, as well as the hatband? The ones I have seen were a synthetic leather, as yours looks to be. The lining is faille. What else did you want to know about your cute hat?

Oh yes, definitely leather and real snakeskin. I couldn't manage a picture of that, as it took both my hands to hold back the ribbon and access the seam allowance of the leather and snakeskin. The snakeskin is very thin and needed that interfacing that is visible. Thank you so much for letting me know the proper name for the interior lining.

And, ooh! When did you see the hat and where?

I would like to know anything that anyone may have. I understand there is not much documented on this ready-to-wear line, so I don't expect to get much more information than I've already gathered - pretty much what is already stated in the label resource here. I guess I'm hoping to get anyone's personal experiences with this label. Thank you very much for your response!

 

[lovehatefashion]

Oh! And if anyone knows what the 22 label means? I thought maybe measurements, but the metric system would be used, so the 22 doesn't make sense to me.

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

The 22 is the inside hat measurement. So 22" inside and a typical size measurement

 

[Jonathan]

This is one of those things I remember reading somewhere but I can't remember where... Miss Dior was originally the Dior perfume, launched in 1947, but it wasn't applied to a clothing line until... I want to say 1965, but I might be wrong on the date. It was used for their clothes that would appeal to younger women... If I can find where I read that I will add it...

 

[lovehatefashion]

This is one of those things I remember reading somewhere but I can't remember where... Miss Dior was originally the Dior perfume, launched in 1947, but it wasn't applied to a clothing line until... I want to say 1965, but I might be wrong on the date. It was used for their clothes that would appeal to younger women... If I can find where I read that I will add it...

Yes, It's in the label resource, I believe. 1967, I think.

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

The Miss Dior hat line was introduced right around 1960-1961. This fact is not mentioned in the Label Resource but it should be. Apparently the clothing line came years later. There is, however, a label from an early 1960s Miss Dior hat in our resource for your reference.

The "22" tag is the hat's size. However, it does not necessarily mean it measures 22" around the interior. It means it was made to fit a size 22 head and fit in the style of the moment. For example, a pillbox hat can be a size 22 and only measure 20" around.

Why would you think they used the metric system? The hat was made to sell in the USA.

I still think the hat is vinyl. It looks like vinyl and the interior construction is not at all like what would be used for a leather hat, but also because I have handled this exact hat several times and those were all vinyl. Of course, you have it there in hand so I may be wrong.

 

[lovehatefashion]

The Miss Dior hat line was introduced right around 1960-1961. This fact is not mentioned in the Label Resource but it should be. Apparently the clothing line came years later. There is, however, a label from an early 1960s Miss Dior hat in our resource for your reference.

The "22" tag is the hat's size. However, it does not necessarily mean it measures 22" around the interior. It means it was made to fit a size 22 head and fit in the style of the moment. For example, a pillbox hat can be a size 22 and only measure 20" around.

Why would you think they used the metric system? The hat was made to sell in the USA.

I still think the hat is vinyl. It looks like vinyl and the interior construction is not at all like what would be used for a leather hat, but also because I have handled this exact hat several times and those were all vinyl. Of course, you have it there in hand so I may be wrong.

I guess I assumed wrongly, sorry. I was under the impression that the hat would have been sold in Europe, not the US.

And it totally could be vinyl. It's really nice, if it is. The underside looks and feels very much like suede. If that's how they use to make vinyl back in the day, why did they stop? (This was rhetorical, I'm sure it's because of cost.)

 

[Rue_de_la_Paix]

It is also possible the hat was made right here in the USA (as were the later Dior Chapeaux line of hats). Miss Dior did have its own actual street address in 1961 in NYC, but I do not know if it was a sales/showroom, or wholesale salon for buyers, offices only, or if it actually made the hats at that address (which I kind of doubt). I suspect it was a wholesale salon by appointment only for the buyers from selected millinery salons and department stores, but that is just a guess. You could sometimes find ads for Miss Dior hats in the very early 60s in some of the better magazines of the time, like Vogue, Bazaar, Town and Country, etc.

It probably retailed for about $30 when it was new.

Let me know if there is more you might like to know about your hat.