Talent Corner - SuperDuper Hats

Don't call them hats. The Super Duper Hats have something more than simple hats and that is why we love them. The Tuscany brand, composed by Veronica Cornacchini, Ilaria Cornacchini e Matteo Gioli, was born in 2010 from a special encounter.

“SuperDuper Hats was born from the curiosity for a type of wood used to make hats that we had found in a flea market and from the personal passion for this specific accessory. In fact, it was essential for us to spend much time knocking at the doors of many artisans who taught us the tricks”. Craftmanship, research, new technologie and many efforts are the ingredients that sealed their success and brought them to win the Who's on next 2013 competition.

Their hats are entirely hand made and are unique models, the results of a continuous research and experimentation. Today having a “crazy” idea seems to be the best solution and they really had it all!.

1. Hi Matteo, Veronica and Ilaria, can you tell us more about you and the idea of Super Duper Hats?

SuperDuper Hats was born in 2010, just for fun. We hadn't planned such a big project and we all came from different paths. It was born from the curiosity for a type of wood used to make hats that we had found in a flea market. The idea also came  from the personal passion for this specific accessory. In fact, it was essential for us to spend much time knocking at the doors of many artisans who taught us the tricks because in order to design a hat, one needs to be able to make it first.

2. Why did you choose to focus just on theb hat?

Because it is a very fascinating accessory, that we've always worn.

3. What is your brand's strongest quality and why?

Our hats are made with the most traditional and old-school artisanal manifacturing. However, this is just the starting point for our brand to find something always innovative through costant research and the help of new technologies. The added value of our brand is, thus, cherish the know hows of the past in order to create a totally new and contemporary product. Quality and innovation constitute our winning combo.

4. Your last collection is entirely dedicated to the hobo. What is it and what is the idea behind it?

The new S/S 2014 Men Collection draws inspiration from the Hobo, the tramp, a person that represents the adventure, the journey seen as an interior research. In order to tell this subculture we chose to apply dirty colors and baked straws entwisted around strong and incisive shapes. The combination between har-to-find raw materials and hammered fabrics create a scenario where everything is balanced. Each hat gives and takes strenghth from one another, without losing its own identity.

5. How true is the equation innovation= young emerging talents and in what sense?

It is an equation that should always be true, innovation is what young talents should aspire to. They should never repeat the past and always go ahead.

6. We can only imagine the great satisfation winning the WION 13 gave you. What excited you most about this project exclusively dedicated to young talents like you?

WION has been a truly precious moment for the growth of our brand because it gave us the chance to confront ourselves with such a prestigious jury. It pushed us to do our best. Winning the competition was just like making a promise to ourselves and to those who believed in us.

7. Can you tell us about the creative process of your hats, from the early creation to its communication?

The research and design of the product is certainly the most exciting. We start from a quite undefined idea that takes a real shape during this process. Reaserch, ideas, design: this is the path that we take every time we create. Soon after, the communication process comes in, happening in several channels and allowing us to tell the message that lies behind the entire collection.

8. Where do you image yourselves in 10 years time?

In New York City, working for a top, top secret project!