The Viennese hat brand Muhlbauer is celebrating its 111th anniversary, and to commemorate the occasion, has published a hat book titled "111 Darlings - A Hat Book, 111 Years Muhlbauer Headwear." Klaus Muhlbauer, the fourth-generation director of the brand, visited Japan and held a launch party on September 12th.
The commemorative book looks back on the 111-year history of hat making from the perspective of the Muhlbauer family, who have been involved in it. It tells the story of how the brand grew from a small Vienna millinery workshop into an internationally renowned headwear brand. "When we reached our 100th anniversary, I had just become director, and the days flew by, and the year ended without any commemorative events. After 11 years, I thought it would be a good time to summarize Mühlbauer's work to date. Simply throwing a party would be boring, so I had the idea to create a book about my favorite things. My wife, Eva, is an editor, so I entrusted the book's direction to her. I am very pleased with the finished product. Mühlbauer's longevity for 111 years is due to the hard work of our predecessors, from my great-grandmother on down. Their commitment to handmade craftsmanship and the high quality that results from it all speak for themselves," explains Klaus. The book is divided into 111 sections, each describing the close friends and family, the hat-making tools he treasures, and the hats that have been important to Mühlbauer at each stage. Japanese artists, including Quruli, known for their Mühlbauer loyalty, and NIGO, a close friend with whom Klaus has collaborated on hat projects, also made appearances.
"When I first visited Japan 11 years ago, I was bewildered by the differences between Europe and the United States, but gradually I've made more acquaintances, including NIGO, and I've already visited Japan countless times. The way Japanese people incorporate hats is unique, even from a global perspective, and I'm always amazed by their ideas," Klaus said.
Past archive materials and works were on display at the venue, along with the book, and the new 2014-2015 Autumn/Winter collection was also unveiled. According to Klaus, "The theme of the new collection is the 'Northern Sea.' It's not just marine, but it's inspired by fishermen and tanker crews living in harsh cold climates. Therefore, the collection is characterized by a simple, unadorned look."
The book is a hardcover, 287-page, full-color collection. It costs ¥5,000. It is available in both German and English versions and is a stylish book that can also be used as interior decoration.
