Keep Your Lid On: Hollywood’s Haute Hatter

A label with the name of a world-famous designer makes a bold statement. But nothing makes a bigger statement than a label which says “made expressly for you.”

And when it comes to hats, little can beat a topper from Baron of Burbank.

Yes, Burbank. Ask your movie star neighbors—they already know. For 75 years, Baron California Hats has been custom-making chapeaus, helping costume classics like “How the West Was Won,” “The Sting,” “Indiana Jones,” “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza,” “Seabiscuit,” “High School Musical 3…” the list definitely goes on and on. They fitted John Wayne for the original “True Grit,” and they’re fitting Jeff Bridges for the upcoming Coen Brothers’ remake. On the rare occasion that they didn’t make an original hat for a film, they pride themselves on their ability to duplicate anything on screen.

Make no mistake, these are not just props, but bespoke pieces using the finest materials available. Fedoras, Straw boaters, Top Hats, Military caps…they do them all, for men and women.

Robert Duvall, Bob Dylan, Will Smith, Madonna, and Janet Jackson are some of the many stars proud to wear the work of Eddie Baron and his protégé Mark Mejia (pictured above in their workshop) off camera as well. On their website, you can even see Baron’s black book, a handwritten ledger of the hat sizes for stars he’s fitted from Fred Astaire to Zorro (Guy Williams)

Few classic Hollywood legacies endure, but Baron California Hats is one that’s alive and thriving.

Baron Hats is located at 1919 West Burbank Boulevard, Burbank, 818.563.3025