Kangol’s long road to success starts from afar, we will retrace it in three fundamental stages united by a single common thread: three “special” photos, taken and published in the newspapers and magazines of the time according to a “perfect timing”, which has contributed to making Kangol an essential Streetwear must.

The Birth of the Brand.

In 1918 the former Polish naturalized French soldier Jakob Henryk Spreiregen – returning from the First World War – moved to Cleator, England, where he opened a small Basque factory.
In 1938 he baptized his brand calling it “Kangol” which, according to some, is a crasis between “Knit” – “Angora” and “Wool”: three must-have fabrics of the brand.

Kangol hats convince all subjects of the United Kingdom and thanks to the excellent opinions gathered around the brand, it becomes the official supplier of the British Army during the Second World War: in every official portrait, General Bernard Montgomery wears his Kangol beret.

After the war, Kangol hats are now recognizable accessories, even if the logo with the Kangaroo is still hidden to favor pins, embroidery and degrees of military matrix.

A history of success.

We are in the 50s when the 504 Cap model was born, adopted – starting from the 80s – by the nascent Hip Hop community of Brooklyn.

In the 60s the four most famous Liverpool boys in the world choose to be photographed with the Kangol berets to promote their tour in the united states: a choice that will lead the brand towards the overseas market, depopulating among the young American beats.

From the 1970s onwards, Kangol hats became a niche accessory for various subcultural communities: mods, beats, followed by rappers, Japanese punks, pacifist artists wearing old war memorabilia, R’N’B and Funky musicians; the latter wear the “Pescatore” or Bucket model in the most rigid fabrics, well hidden on the eyes.

The photo-consecration of the 80s belongs to rapper LL Cool: in 1985 he launched his debut album “Radio” with a photo of him on the cover wearing a classic Bermuda Casual.

In the 90s the period of expansion of the brand towards fashion begins, defeinitively de-provincializing itself from the subcultural communities: in 1996 Helmut Lang and Louis Vuitton produced a special edition of a vinyl box that portrays the superstar DJ Grandmaster Flash wearing a Kangol model 504.

It is the total consecration: Kangol hats definitively become a Streetwear Cult that goes far beyond trends, styles and eras – managing to survive even the supersonic speed of – much loved / hated – “fast fashion”.