The Classic Kangol Bermuda Bucket

The Kangol Bermuda Casual Bucket


 

 

Hip-hop and headwear have a long and close relationship. Raps  weren’t the only thing Rappers turned to make statements and express themselves  , Headwear became a vital piece in Hip hop and fashion in the 80’s  . Despite hip hop and Kangol almost being mutually inclusive , the history of the brand may not be as American as you think .

Jakob Henryk Spreiregen, a Polish-born Jewish immigrant who came to England in 1915, founded the company in the 1920s and began making hats in London. It didn’t adopt the name Kangol until 1930, when Spreiregen invented it by combining the letters K for “knitting,” ANG for “Angora” (a kind of wool), and OL for “wool.”

Kangol became popular in the United Kingdom during and after WWII. During the war, Kangol became the primary supplier of berets to the British Army, with annual output exceeding one million caps.

Kangol recruited designers Pierre Cardin and Mary Quant to its list in the 1960s, and they began making hats for celebrities like the Beatles and the late Princess Diana. This type of celebrity exposure sparked the interest of the American market, and people began enquiring where they might get a Kangol hat. This is when the brand began utilizing the distinctive Kangaroo emblem, This is when the brand began utilizing the distinctive Kangaroo emblem,
(contrary to popular belief, no Kangol hat has ever originated in Australia.)

Thanks to the grand exposure from British icons , Kangol quickly saw a significant spike in US Sales during the 80’s,  but it was only when the one and only LL cool Jay was seen wearing the famous Kangol Bermuda Casual Bucket did the brand get catapulted into the hip hop scene . This was a game changer for both Kangol and Hip Hop Culture , Consumers raced to get their hands on the hat worn by LL Cool J  and the so the kangol phenomena began and is even still present today

 

 

 

 

 

Countless rappers , including Run-DMC, Grandmaster Flash, Slick Rick, and Missy Elliott, to mention a few, followed suit . The obsession also transcended the hip hop music scene and  made its way into the world of  Hollywood and Film,  Nino Brown, the renowned character played by Wesley Snipes in New Jack City, can be seen wearing numerous Kangol hats throughout the film. Furthermore In the 1990s, stylish variations of the brand’s headwear, such as the Furgora Spitfire, were released and notably worn by Samuel L. Jackson.

As much as the Kangol Bermuda Love Bled Through to multiple cultures and subcultures over the decades , its safe to say that its true home will forever be the booming 80’s Hip hop scenes .

 

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