About Us
In 1994 Hats and Haberdashery was founded by milliner and entrepreneur, Cynthia Koeze. It began as a small shop in Suttons Bay, Michigan specializing in custom, one-of-a-kind hats made by Cynthia and avant garde women’s clothing and accessory from independent designers in Europe and the USA. Within three years, the shop was moved, expanded and it grew into a lifestyle store offering, not only women’s apparel and accessories, but gifts, body care, home decor, and haberdashery. With growth came the end of Cynthia’s custom millinery business as the demands of running a large retail operation required all of her attention.
Suttons Bay, Michigan is located in beautiful Leelanau County. Leelanau county is a peninsula that jets out into upper Lake Michigan and is best known for its wineries, beaches and small villages. While it is busy in the summer months, it remains relatively quiet and isolated in the winter. In response to this, Hats and Haberdashery launched their first web site in 2004 as a means to reach their summer clientele during the winter months. By 2006, it was clear that the website was the best way to reach Hats and Haberdashery’s customer base year round and to attract new customers from all corners of the US and many countries abroad. In December 2006, the brick and mortar store was closed, and Hats and Haberdashery had taken wing on the internet.
Today, Hats and Haberdashery’s “World Head Quarters” is located on a ten acre farm in Northport, Michigan. This property houses the office, showroom and shipping department. For security, the property it is regularly patrolled by two Siberian Huskies, one “pug-russell”, three cats, and a chicken. Appointments are taken here with advanced notice, please call to make arrangements.
From the beginning, Hats and Haberdashery has been known for its mission to offer their customers the best of the avant garde fashion world. They remain committed to supporting small independent designers and to helping their customers look and feel their best in these fabulous apparel and accessory designs.