It all began with a hat. A bought one. One that was obviously made by machine, not by hand. And she looked at it and thought ”I can do that. I can do that better”. So she did.

After a first research it was clear that hatmaking is a dying form of art and that there is no one to teach her. Especially not within New Zealand’s boundaries. So she started to figure out how to do it herself. Lots of hours researching, vintage hat deconstructions and trials later, the work of apes&apple’s chief hatmaker Lisa is distinctive and perfected to the last detail.

Using only the finest materials and many different skills such as sewing, woodworking, felting and more, the years of practise in these different crafts are finally coming together and this experience is showing in every single hat.

Unique and intricate, inspiring and personal.