Borsalino
- For the French gangster movie, see Borsalino (film)
Borsalino is the name of a hat company known particularly for its fedoras. Established in 1857, Borsalino produces felt from Belgian rabbit fur at its factory in Alessandria, Italy.
Giuseppe Borsalino visited Italy and France to learn the hat trade, and set up the first artisan workshop for the production of felt hats. When Giuseppe Borsalino died, he was succeeded by his son, Teresio Borsalino, in the family business. His success lasted until the 1940s, when the hat business declined in prominence.
In 1986, the Borsalino factory moved to its current location in the suburbs of Alessandria. The University of Alessandria (as well as a museum dedicated to the history of the hat) occupy the former offices of the Borsalino company.
The company currently produces a wide variety of products such as hats, ties, clothing, watches, perfumes and even old fashioned bicycles, and the company tries to keep all the charm and class from last century's fashion.
The company has branches in the USA and Europe.
Recently, Borsalino also started to produce helmets for motorbikes.
In popular culture
War correspondent Ernie Pyle was often photographed wearing a Borsalino. He wrote several pages in Home Country praising his love for his three Borsalino hats.
In 1970, the company inspired the gangster film Borsalino, which was moderately well received. It was followed by a sequel, Borsalino & Co.