1960s Veiled Hat, by Patrick de Barentzen Monsieur Gilles - Italian Pith-Style Helmet

This hat is made of very fine straw and has a long veil that drapes down to shoulders. Very feminine! It has a couple of unique folds in the straw just to give it a little more mystery.

This lovely concoction of a hat was designed by Patrick de Barentzen and executed by his partner, the milliner Monsieur Gilles.

It measures 8 1/2 x 9 inches across and the crown measures 3 inches in height.

Age: 1960s (1963)

Label: Patrick de Barentzen - Monsieur Gilles - Made in Italy

As I became more intrigued by this little hat I took the time to find out more information about this designer.

I found an article from January 1963 in the St. Petersburg, FL newspaper by Louise Hickman that makes mention of these particular designs. Hats by his partner Monsieur Gilles were modeled along pith helmet lines...this would have been the teeny beanie version.

De Barentzen was born and raised in France to a Danish father and French mother. He apprenticed & worked with Jacques Fath in the 50s up until Fath's death in November of 1954.

There is a quote from the 1959 pages of Vogue Magazine that states: "23-year-old Patrick de Barentzen was described as "the daring young man of the Italian couture whose collection is full of dash, fun and ideas". He quickly rose as a darling of Italian designers along with the likes of Galitzine, Valentino, Simonetta, Fabiani, Capucci, Fontana, and Forquet. Couture quality tailoring. The inside is as pretty as the outside."

Another article from November 64 from Toledo, Ohio, by Mary Jane Spencer states that he left France to move to Italy after Fath's death due to his great sadness. He managed to establish his own house in 1958 without any financial backing and his first collection was dedicated to Fath.

On another visit to the US in 1964 he mentioned how he loved the US and that his first trip in 1960 was when he saw West Side Story and that influenced his 1962 Winter Collection.

To own one of his outfits you had to pay between $900 - $1500 in 1964.

In 1966 he joined the design team of the Dynasty - Hong Kong label.

A very interesting designer and a most intriguing hat!