FILM FASHION
Tip of the Hat Brandon Franklin is on a mission to merge Hollywood history and the legacy of artisan craftsmanship through quality, education and experience By Lydia Martin U nique, handmade artisanship has been a highly coveted craft for centuries. From fanciful food and wine to the finest tailored shoes and accessories, like hats and handbags, there remains a special bond between the artisan and their craft—love and respect for the product. for a successful enterprise. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, custom hats adorn another historical trajectory within the realm of high notori- ety Hollywood. From Humphrey Bogart’s iconic Borsalino fedora, to Bonnie Parker’s signature
In 2014, Brandon Franklin turned his passion for craftsmanship into reality by founding B.M. Franklin & Co. After several years working for Ralph Lauren, Franklin notes that “it’s what I took from that experience that led me on a journey to find and develop a craft that I loved.” That journey introduced Franklin to hats. “I spent over five years studying the craft’s rich history, developing age-old techniques, and working with vintage tools,” he explains. “Head-pieces have been used and crafted by humans for thousands of years. The richness of this history led me down a rabbit hole more than a decade ago, and I’m still digging deeper!” It was that initial introduction to the history, hard work, patience, and refined skill that it takes to create something truly unique and extraordinary that propelled Franklin in the direction of sharing his work with the masses. And thus, B.M. Franklin & Co. was born. “I always say hats found me, or an old Italian soul jumped into my body and chose this path for me,” Franklin says with a laugh. “However you [want to] slice it, it goes back to this passion I have for quality, handcrafted items.” And it’s clear that Franklin’s passion is palpable. B.M. Franklin & Co. promotes a custom-made, customer-entrusted, quality product process. You can choose from a vast variety of luxe materials and styles with the comfort of knowing that your hat is in good hands (literally). Some of the most popular requests Franklin receives are for the hand-woven Brisa Panama Straw hats, or something more edgy made of rabbit fur felt material, but they also offer custom dye jobs, distressing and one- of-a-kind trim options. “What sets us apart from everyone else is that the creative possibilities are endless,” notes Franklin. “In a world where most things are made for instant gratifica- tion, I wanted to stand aside from that and create some- thing with soul, something I could be proud of and share with the world.” On the surface, it might seem like something so small as a simple, stylish hat could limit the possibilities
beret, or Diane Keaton’s big-brimmed bowler that completed her menswear- centric look for her role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall —hats have played a critical part in style and personality among Holly- wood’s elite throughout the years. Franklin has also had the opportunity to work with several entertainment industry cohorts over the years for productions of all types. “My experience be- fore launching B.M. Frank- lin & Co. was unparalleled and gave me the flexibility and creativity to work with fashion designers, costume designers and directors,” he says. “Now that we are
Photo by Brandon Franklin
Brandon Franklin
Photo by Elliot Liss
Photo courtesy of Buckhead Village
in Atlanta with the space to create, we look forward to working with the entertainment industry more often.” While B.M. Franklin & Co. has found a new home base in the Buckhead Village district of Atlanta, it con- tinues to host and participate in pop-up experiences in Manhattan, New York, where the brand first began. Still, Franklin claims that “Atlanta is our home [now] and we love it.” The future of B.M. Franklin & Co. looks brightly brimmed with the opening of a satellite workshop at Ponce City Market in the fall and plans to expand beyond hats to “reintroduce the concept of haberdashery back into fashion and the fashion retail industry,” Franklin exclaims. “Our prime goal is to open a School of Craft that aims to teach impoverished communities of color craftsmanship of all types.”
Photo by Chuck Marcus
The creative possibilities and noble intentions promoted by B.M. Franklin & Co. are both endless and timeless. In a city that thrives on diversity, eccentricity and appreciation of the quirky personal touches in life, it seems as though Franklin has met his match. Atlanta welcomes you with a tip of the hat!
@bmfranklinco
THE GEORGIA HOLLYWOOD REVIEW | FALL 2022 | 29
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