Yves Saint Laurent Straw and Black Patent Leather Red Poppy Flower Hat, 1970s

In the 1970s, Yves Saint Laurent produced a number of hat styles that incorporated natural straw or rattan material with a stark contrasting black patent leather. Saint Laurent frequently used a variety of dramatic hats in order to elevate his runway looks and to give them a sense of place. As Saint Laurent is always being credited for designing for different audiences of women, this 1970s straw hat may attract a woman with a more docile aesthetic.

It is made from a light straw with a low beautifully shaped dome crown with a moderate length brim that is slightly beveled revealing a hint of the black patent leather affixed to the underside of the brim. On the back, silk poppies are added alongside a patent leather ribbon detail giving this rather classically styled hat a pop of crimson and sage greens. It can be worn level, or at a tilt to expose more of the black underside of the brim. This YSL hat is evocative of a sunny day in spring or summer that would go spectacularly with a flowing sun dress or a dressed down pencil skirt and blouse work look.

Measurements:

Circumference: 21 inches

This YSL hat is in excellent condition made from fine straw woven into a herringbone pattern. It features a black patent leather hat band that mirrors the patent leather on the underside of the brim. Unlined, the interior of the hat has a Tiffany blue sweatband with the original YSL label still intact. High-quality vintage pieces like this are yours to live in and love while increasing in value every year. It’s never too soon to start collecting them, as an investment in your wardrobe—and in yourself.