|
AMERICAN WEST ~ July, August 2001 S. Grant Sergot, owner of Óptimo Custom Hatworks is the
man behind the hat and he takes his position seriously. "You
are dealing with people's egos, especially someone who doesn't feel
comfortable wearing a hat. The hat has to match the personality
of the wearer." Grant has taken great care in mastering this
art. He is among the last remaining artisan of the American West.
A This hat maker lives in the Old Historic Mining Town of Bisbee, Arizona. This great little town is only 21 miles from the Legendary Western Town of Tombstone, Arizona. Nestled right in the mountains is this quaint turn of the century mining town with a historic shopping district. The town is filled with good restaurants, Grand Victorian hotels and bed & breakfasts, writers and artists. Originally from the Great Lake State of Michigan, Grant says, "Bisbee had everything I wanted out of life and good weather, too." Óptimo Custom Hatworks is located on historic Main Street in a Victorian renovated building. Grant is famous for his original "Panama Hat." His hand
woven Panama straws come from Ecuador, where this high grade weaving
art comes from the descendants of the Inca Indian Civilization.
"These Grant features over 200 hats in all sizes, styles, and price ranges. You can find custom-blended beaver, cashmere, hare and rabbit felt hats. I told Grant that I had a few good quality hats that for some reason I don't wear. He said they probably don't suit your style or personality. Bring them in and we can re-cut, re-shape and you will walk out with New Hats that you will like and most important you will wear! For a fitting it is recommended that you call for an appointment. |
dedicated
craftsman, Grant finds it a challenge to take an unblocked hat and
give it a form like a sculptor would a piece of art. "Folks
will walk out of my store a whole different person. People's self-perception
can change with a properly fitted and styled hat." The tailoring
of the hat can accentuate a person's best features and play down
the less desirable ones. For example, there are specific style techniques
that a small frame person would wear that would be entirely different
for a large framed person. Just buying a good hat is not enough
- it has to be styled to suit you as an individual. 
weavers
learn their art as children and devote their entire lifetime to
the craft." Woven from finely selected "Paja Toquilla",
a palmetto plant native to just Ecuador, they are supple and the
most durable woven hat in the world. The Panama hats are graded
from one to twenty in ascending order of quality, cost, and tightness
of weave. A number 3-grade has the look of burlap, a number 10-grade
will compare to cotton and a number 17-grade will be likened to
silk. Movie celebrities have dropped in to buy an original Panama
hat, Tom Selleck, Faye Dunaway, Richard Dean (from MacGyver), and
John Deal (from Miami Vice). |
|
