HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Our Story

1880

THE UPPER CLASS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

Stylish and comfortable

When we talk about The English Hatter, we start with the roots of the English Country Style. This style originated in the British countryside, where the upper class retreated for sport and relaxation. Hunting, horse riding - that kind of thing. Clothing had to be comfortable above all, but at the same time distinguishable from that of farmers and country folk.

1935

ENGLISH HATS IN AMSTERDAM

The First Shop

In 1930s Amsterdam, hats and caps were in high demand. For Gerard Reeser, it was the perfect moment to start his own business, after 26 years of loyal service at Hoedenmagazijn Meuwsen. On May 8, 1935, with financial support from tea merchant Abraham Cijfer, he opened the doors of The English Hatter on Heiligeweg.


1935

HEADWEAR FOR EVERYONE

Despite the many hat shops in the city centre, there was still room for a business that distinguished itself with imported hats and caps from England, supplemented with custom-made items from the workshop behind the shop. In those days, a man rarely left the house without headwear. The choice said something about who you were: cap or hat, labourer or dignitary. At The English Hatter, that distinction mattered less. In the new branch around the corner from the flower market, everyone was welcome.

In those days, craftsmanship and style went hand in hand. You can see this reflected in the images from that time: attention to detail, care for presentation. Perhaps even more so than today.

1942

IN WARTIME

What's in a name?

The English Hatter hasn't always had the same name. During the German occupation, a name referring to England was considered less desirable. From 1942, "Reeser's Herrenmode" suddenly appeared on the facade.

A name change seems like a detail, but the consequences went further. The Jewish partner, Abraham Cijfer, also disappeared, formally 'temporarily out of service'. Only in 1946 did the original name return, and with it, Cijfer.

1945

QUALITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS

Craftsmanship comes first

After the war, American products are extremely popular. The Stetson is a good example of this. Origin is not a leading factor. It's not about where a hat is made, but whether it meets our quality requirements. The Stetson - just like the Italian Borsalino - stands for craftsmanship and quality. Then, and still today.

1949

A FAMILY IS BORN

A chosen family

After the death of founder Gerard Reeser, daily management is taken over by Casper Garrels. Under his leadership, The English Hatter grows into a family business, in which his son Casper Jr. and his wife Hanneke Garrels-Broese also play an important role. Casper Garrels Sr. remains the face of the business for decades, after which Casper Jr. takes over in 1998.

Although The English Hatter is no longer a family business in the formal sense today, that feeling has remained. A close-knit group of people, connected by their work, the product, and each other. A 'chosen family' — not blood relatives, but kindred spirits.

1955

IN THE RHYTHM OF THE SEASONS

What is good, stays good

The English Hatter carries umbrellas from the English brand Fox Umbrellas. You won't find a better umbrella - they've been making them since 1868. A true seasonal product, because at The English Hatter, the assortment, as always, moves with the seasons. Not something new every month, but a collection that lasts. We don't do sales. Never have. Because a coat, scarf or umbrella that is perfect this year, will still be perfect next year.

1965

HOLDING ON TO TRADITION

There's always room for tradition

In the 1960s, hats went out of fashion. They were seen as old-fashioned, a symbol of the establishment. For The English Hatter, this was not a reason to move with the times, but rather to stick to what works.

In those years, a bold choice was made: tradition is not a limitation, but a direction. Since then, this conviction has formed the basis of our assortment. The brands we carry must meet this standard. Our own products lie side-by-side with these iconic classics. The bar is set high.

1966

ADAPTING WITHOUT LOSING OUT

A new Zeitgeist

The sixties bring a wave of change. Freedom, innovation, and a clear break with the past. This is also palpable in Amsterdam. Around the corner from The English Hatter, on Spui, the Provo happenings protested everything that symbolised the established order. Hats disappeared from the street scene. What was once self-evident suddenly felt old-fashioned.

For The English Hatter, this was the moment to move. The assortment shifted from hats and caps to men's fashion, tailored in English style. And even in the revolutionary sixties, demand remained.

1975

LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

For the long term

In the early 1970s, Hanneke and Casper Garrels Jr. discovered the Scottish brand William Lockie at a fashion fair in Paris. In a time before the internet, this meant travelling further to Scotland to meet the family and the makers behind the brand. That collaboration still exists today. Not only because of the quality, but especially because of the trust that has been built up over the years. More than fifty years later, we still sell their sweaters with the same conviction.

2005

AS FAMILY

A feeling that lasts

Peter and Hans Kraan have been a constant presence at The English Hatter for many years. As brothers, they symbolize something that has always been important: the feeling of family. What once started as a family business may no longer be so in a formal sense, but the feeling has remained. The people on the shop floor, the brands we have worked with for decades, and the customers who keep coming back; they are all parts of that same circle. When a regular customer walks in, it feels familiar. Almost as if family is coming to visit.

2013

AGAINST THE SPEED

And precisely because of that, relevant

Around 2013, something changes. Suddenly, young men are in the store, looking for caps, partly inspired by series like Peaky Blinders. Fashion is moving faster than ever. Trends follow each other rapidly, and clothing is increasingly becoming something temporary.

For The English Hatter, little changes. We continue to do what we have always done. And precisely because of that, our position changes. What was once self-evident — quality, craftsmanship, timeless products — gains new meaning. Today, we call that: slow fashion.

TODAY

NEARLY A CENTURY ON THE ROAD

Nearly a century on the road, we continue to do what we have always done. With care, for quality and for what endures. At the same time, we look ahead. To what is happening around us and to how a new generation wears our classics in their own way. This confirms what we have always believed: that The English Hatter offers the perfect foundation for the 21st-century gentleman.