V&A
Natural Raffia Wide-Brimmed Hat with Teal Bands
Wartime / Utility Fashion · 1940s · American
Production
handmade
Material
raffia
Culture
American
A wide-brimmed summer hat constructed from natural raffia fibers in alternating bands of natural beige and teal blue. The crown features a tight spiral construction radiating outward from the center top, creating concentric circles that continue seamlessly into the broad, flat brim. The raffia appears to be braided or twisted into narrow strips before being sewn together in a coil technique. Two small teal ribbon ties are attached at the back of the crown for securing. The construction demonstrates wartime resourcefulness, utilizing natural plant fibers when traditional millinery materials were rationed. The geometric spiral pattern and two-tone color scheme reflect 1940s design sensibilities while maintaining practical sun protection.
hat
Connected To
Technique·coilingTechnique·hand-weavingMotif·stripe-band
SHARED130 years
These two hats reveal how the ancient art of coiled construction adapts to wildly different fashion moments while maintaining its essential DNA. The Empire bonnet's tight, honeyed spirals create sculptural ridges that hug the head like architectural molding, while the 1940s hat spreads those same coils into a lazy spiral that blooms from crown to brim, its natural raffia punctuated by teal bands that echo wartime rationing's make-do ingenuity.
Text69%
Image74%
48%
Technique·hand-weaving
LINEAGE10 years · cross-culture→ directed
Lineage: “traditional raffia work”
These two hats trace raffia's journey from wartime necessity to postwar celebration. The first hat, with its tightly spiraled natural and teal raffia construction, embodies the resourceful make-do spirit of the 1940s—every strand purposefully wound into a utilitarian wide brim that could shield a victory garden worker or factory girl.
Motif·stripe-band
LINEAGE40 years→ directed
Lineage: “1940s wide-brimmed hats”
Text66%
41%
Technique·hand-weavingMotif·spiral-scroll
SHARED340 years · cross-culture · cross-category
Text46%
Echoes Across Time
Empire / Regency → Wartime / Utility Fashion · 130yr58%
SHARED
These two hats reveal how the ancient art of coiled construction adapts to wildly different fashion moments while maintaining its essential DNA. The Empire bonnet's tight, honeyed spirals create sculptural ridges that hug the head like architectural molding, while the 1940s hat spreads those same coils into a lazy spiral that blooms from crown to brim, its natural raffia punctuated by teal bands that echo wartime rationing's make-do ingenuity.
Technique·coilingTechnique·hand-weavingMotif·stripe-band
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