Troy O’Shea is an Australian-based artisan who specialises in bespoke handmade caps honouring the tradition of hat making by referencing past silhouettes, period correct machinery and utilising quality sourced materials.
To celebrate the release of the Nike Air Max 1 Premium 'Dirty Denim' release, we reached out to Troy to hand craft 1-of-1 caps, inspired by the iconic Nike 'Tailwind' cap silhouette incorporating salvaged materials from up-cycled denim together with vintage Nike garments, to be given away to a small number of lucky raffle winners.
To celebrate this partnership, we also asked Troy some questions about his craft.
Supply: When and how did you first get into making caps?
Troy: I started making caps in 2015 after a trip to the US with my wife. I was really into road cycling and purchased a handmade cycling cap from a store in San Francisco. The cap was unfortunately too big, like most caps for my tiny head. So it was in that moment that I decided to have a go at making one myself. I haven’t stopped since.
Supply: Although you craft a wide range of styles, there seems to be a common theme of paying homage to certain era’s of the past, how important is acknowledging this history of headwear to you?
Troy: It’s extremely important to me. Manufacturing was very different back then. Clothing was essentially handmade, and there was a high level of skill involved in operating the machinery used to make it. I also believe that people took a lot of pride in their work, and this is evident in the garments that were made. I have a number of caps from the 1930’s and 1940’s, and the craftsmanship needed to produce these, with the machinery they had is quite amazing in my eyes. So I’ve always wanted to recreate this in my work. Sourcing period correct machinery was probably the biggest part of this, and is the backbone of my business. Seven years in and I’m still learning how to use some of my machines.
Supply: Can you tell us a bit more about these sewing machines and how you acquired them?
Troy: I currently have six sewing machines that I’m using to produce my caps. All machines are pre-1960’s and have taken about seven years to source. Each machine was purchased from retired seamstresses. My oldest working machine is from 1890 and is a Singer eyelet machine. It produces oversized, stitched eyelets that could be found of baseball caps throughout the early 1900’s, and is a beauty to sew with. Each machine is different and used for a different part of the cap construction process. I love them all.
Supply: Materials also play a huge part in the construction and aesthetic of your caps, is this something that you’re also as passionate about as the silhouettes?
Troy: I’ve always been quite passionate about fabric. Like the machinery used to make period correct caps, it’s also extremely important to have the correct materials. Original caps from bygone era’s had a certain ‘feel’ to them, unlike anything that’s on the market today. So sourcing the right fabric and materials is imperative to recreating this. I also think that living in Japan has heavily influenced the aesthetic of my caps. Seeing and feeling some of the most beautiful materials in the world was really inspiring and I just had to incorporate them into my work.
Supply: We loved the project you did for Patagonia a few years ago, Can you tell us a bit about how that came about?
Troy: Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a long time fan of Patagonia, since it was introduced to me by my wife in the mid 2000’s. So to be able to work with them on some level was really special to me. I was introduced to Patagonia Australia by my good friend Doug Low (Incu CEO) and boss at the time. I was aware of the repair hub they had setup in their Sydney store, and had the idea of using any leftover off cuts of fabric to repurpose into caps. Doug connected me with the head of Patagonia Australia, and shared my idea and they were instantly on board. Within a week or so I have received a box full of used jackets which I then repurposed into spoonbill styled caps. Patagonia have been awesome to work with since day one.
Supply: Have you got an all-time favourite cap silhouette?
Troy: Hmm…that’s difficult because I’m always changing what I like to make and wear. Hence why I offer a number of different styles. My all-time favorite caps to make and wear would be late 1930’s AG Spalding style baseball caps, 1960’s KM Pro style ball caps and both the Patagonia duckbill/spoonbill outdoor cap shapes.
Supply: Any exciting news coming up for Troy O’Shea Handmade?
Troy: I’m very excited about the work I’ve just done for Nike and yourselves. It was challenging, and I feel I’ve grown from the process which is always good. I’m always collaborating with my close friend Papanui, so we have a number of new things in the works. Also, just about to release a small batch of natural indigo-dyed caps with Japan-based brand, Wild Frontier Goods. I’m always inspired to try making new styles and honestly very fortunate that I’m able to do what I love. Always thankful for the support I receive.
Photo's courtesy of Troy.
Questions by Jesse Hoole.
Big Thank you to Troy O'Shea, See more of troys work at https://troyosheahandmade.bigcartel.com