For the last century in western fashion, the Kangol company has had a profound impact on what is considered cool in hats, from the classic berets that the company put out at the end of World War One to today’s ultramodern Kangol Hat 507. They’ve also helped set the industry standard when it comes to quality. Despite the brand’s prominence, there is a sense of mystery about the firm because it is specialized in a niche market and isn’t known well outside of that.
A Brief History
In the wake of the First World War, Kangol put berets on the market that were rakish, attractive and modern in their styling. They evoked images of the glamour of fighter pilots, and they sold well immediately. The company was headquartered in the UK, but many people thought it was an Australian company because of the name. Eventually, the firm, in a nod to this false impression, started using its distinctive kangaroo logo.
In the 1960s, the Beatles wore Kangol hats, and this helped associate the brand with the fashionable swinging sixties scene that was centered in London. Celebrity endorsements have long been important to Kangol, and, in the 1980s, pioneering rapper LL Kool J became another musician who wore Kangol hats habitually as part of his look.
Today, the Kangol product line, anchored by the Kangol Hat 507, remains as strong as ever. If the company continues in the direction it has followed for the last hundred years, this trend will likely continue.
