We wrote about milliner Luke Song when everyone went wild over Aretha Franklin’s adorable hat at President Obama’s inauguration ceremony, and over a month later, it looks like he and his hat aren’t going fading from the spotlight anytime soon.
The New York Times followed up with the Detroit-based South Korean hat maker, who says that orders for Aretha’s infamous cap haven’t slowed down.
[T]he hat’s creator, Luke Song, has more than 5,000 orders for the spring version of the Aretha Hat (he declines to make a replica of the actual model), available in a variety of pastel colors and selling for $179 apiece.
And what about the original wool felt hat that Franklin wore on the historical day? It’s going straight to the Smithsonian Institute before settling down for a spot in President Obama’s library.
The article goes on to describe Song’s adventure from choosing an impromptu career in hat-making after studying art at Parson’s, despite the dying art of millinery–though I’m hoping that the hat’s popularity will spark an interest in this industry.
Has there ever been any other hat to make such a statement in recent history? I’m not just talking about the fashion world, because even the Internet had too much fun with Song’s creation.
So thank you, Mr. Song, for creating a new pop culture icon. I’ve been obsessed with this hat since day one (but not to the point where I’d actually spend $179 for one) because there was something so charming and daring about donning a big bedazzled bow on national TV. Let’s be honest, thanks to this one guy, Franklin has never looked more fashionable…and I’m not exaggerating.
