"The Art of Hat Making" class at B.M. Franklin & Co was by far one of the most educational and immersive experiences my wife and I have encountered.
Brandon Franklin's cognoscente knowledge of hat making, interactive demonstration with age old tools, hands-on learning teaching style, coupled with his warm, charismatic and comedic personality made this experience utterly exceptional.
In preparation for Valentine's Day, I e-mailed Brandon weeks before the class and requested that he begin the process of making a custom, top of the line, hand-crafted hat for my wife -an arrant hat enthusiast.
During the class, my wife was drawn to a beautiful marigold -one of her favorite colors - felt hat which was partially constructed and remained untouched. Once the class finished, Brandon and I surprised her. "You see that Marigold felt hat...well, your husband purchased it and it's yours." My wife began to cry tears of joy and excitement.
As Brandon continued to masterfully construct her hat, my wife was able to choose from a wide variety of fabrics, feathers, and other custom materials to make her hat uniquely hers. My wife says this was her favorite Valentine's Day experience yet. I couldn't have pulled this off without Brandon, a genius and master in his craft. read more