Lock & Co.
‘The Coke Hat (Bowler)’
The Coke is one of Lock & Co.'s most enduring hat styles.
Made in the traditional way using rabbit fur, shellac and linen, the Coke is a very distinctive style thanks to its domed crown and curled brim. Lock & Co. created the iconic Coke hat (also known as the Bowler hat) in 1849 after being commissioned by Edward Coke to create a hat hardy enough to protect his gamekeepers at Holkham Hall, Norfolk.
Price: £525.
“As the oldest hat shop in the world, and the oldest shop in London, it seems important to include the Coke hat (or Bowler) in the conversation around hats and heritage. Being synonymous both with Lock & Co. and London’s banking history, the Bowler hat showcases not only traditional craftsmanship that is virtually unchanged in over 175 years, but also a style that evolved from protection for the wearer in the British countryside, through to it becoming an icon of city tailoring - via America’s wild west!”
Materials and Techniques
Stiffened and blocked linen, using shellac, covered in rabbit fur felt, with a satin lining, leather sweatband and grosgrain ribbon for the mourning band and binding. Traditionally in black, but also commonly stocked in navy, brown and grey. Custom-fitted using a Conformateur from 1852.
Millinery Heritage
“Lock & Co. was founded in 1676 and we will celebrate our 350th anniversary next year. As the world’s oldest hat shop, the craft and heritage of hatmaking is of the utmost importance to us, and we take every care to uphold the traditions and support the skills for new and emerging hatmakers and milliners, in partnerships with The Royal School of Needlework, The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), Morley College and The King’s Foundation.
The Lock family still own and run the business to this day; indeed the eighth generation is our current Deputy Chairman - Mr. Nigel Lock Macdonald. ”
About Ben Dalrymple
Managing Director Ben Dalrymple joined Lock & Co. Hatters in 2016.
Ben has over 25 years' experience in the retail industry. He is responsible for directing the company's operations and provides strategic guidance and direction to the board to ensure the company achieves its overall mission and objectives.
Ben leads our Lock & Co. Hatters family in all areas of the business, ensuring our teams deliver the exceptional experience our customers have come to expect.
On working as Managing Director at Lock & Co. Hatters, Ben says: "When you turn the brass door handle on the original door and walk in, you'll find that the shop has barely changed since the early 1700s; the feel, the look and - dare I say it - the smell of it. The slightly creaky floorboards, it's all magic - it feels like stepping back in time. We are very fortunate to work for such a special business."