A former professional model who shifted to custom hat design during the COVID pandemic has opened a new hat business in Palm Beach.
Kai Lassen, a Palm Beach resident who taught herself hat making through online courses and tutorials, debuted her flagship retail store Kai Lassen Hats on Nov. 30.
The business, at 139 N. County Rd. in the Paramount Building, offers premium felt, straw and trucker hats for men, women and children.
Shoppers can pick from a selection of ready-to-wear hats or they can ask Lassen to create custom hats using charms, wraps, bows or other adornments.
“The majority of my work is all custom, because everyone loves to make a custom hat and make it feel like its yours,” Lassen, 42, told the Daily News. “I always call it wearable art, or wearing your personality on your head, whatever the case may be. We could go through the process of doing a custom felt or a straw. There’s nothing really I can’t do. I make everything from scratch.”
Lassen, who began modeling at age 6, said she has always been passionate about art and fashion, but never considered combining the two until about 10 years ago when she created her own handbag line.