Christopher Jay Heller: The (Not So Mad) Hatter of DTLA
There is certainly an allure when it comes to something custom or one-of-a-kind that has a very specific appeal to it. It’s the same reason people make their own clothing or shop at vintage stores: It feels good to break from the modern norms of fast fashion and swap it out for a piece that no one else in the room will have. Especially in a city like Los Angeles, there are creative masterminds coming out of the woodwork nearly everywhere you turn, each of them a loyal devotee to their craft. While it’s no secret that we’re living in a very unusual time at the moment, freelance creatives and independent artists of all types may have had some trouble over the last few months in keeping up the same sort of demand for their work and overall mindset as before the pandemic. We’re elated to say that for one of these individuals in particular, the wheel has kept on turning as he flips the script on custom creation from his own private DTLA haberdashery nestled high above the city streets.
Unless you stood face to face with Christopher Jay Heller, you would assume that he’s several years his senior upon simply speaking with him—a true old soul. This California native has bounced about wildly on the occupational circuit in his lifetime—briefly in the medical field, behavioral therapy, and even working as a sushi chef over the years until one day he found his niche: hat-making. So the story goes, something just clicked the first time Christopher found himself behind a sewing machine, and although he had dabbled in a seemingly endless array of varying specialties and trades, the organic knack and undying love for millinery became perhaps his greatest. On the whim of making affordable Christmas gifts for his co-workers, Christopher had somewhat an epiphany: he was a natural with a needle and thread.
“I taught myself how to sew, fell in love with it, and I couldn’t stop sewing,” says Christopher. “I started tearing apart clothes and figuring out how they were made and then making my own patterns. That started everything really.”
After first specializing in bowties which he jokes became practically his whole identity at the time, Christopher soon found himself designing bowties for music videos and celebrity clients. What turned him onto hats you may ask? All it took was having his first custom hat that was shaped precisely to fit the shape of his head to set off a lightbulb, and boy was it destiny. A new fondness had been ignited just like that, and all it took was Christopher falling deeply in love with another hat that he couldn’t afford at the time to inspire him to start a whole new venture. From there all he needed were the tools and some practice.
“For my first one, I didn’t have a hat block, which is pretty much the primary tool of hat-making. You need that, then you basically steam the felt and stretch it, and that’s what gives you your first fit. If you try to get someone’s exact size, from there you adjust, but since I didn’t have one yet, I made one out of a little stump in my backyard. I sat that practically the entire day with a metal grinder and any sort of abrasive tool I could find and ground it down until I could get an oval shape just to get the feel of it.”
Since his makeshift days Christopher has evolved into a master of his craft. With his trusty companion by his side (his pup Charlie) Christopher works out of his own creative paradise in the heart of downtown and continues with a deliberate effort to connect with his clientele and create a unique experience for every individual. Pointing to the wall behind him tacked up in a sort of mural of his work are over a dozen wide-brimmed hats varying in color, shape, and material. “Even if they look similar, I like to think that there’s something unique about them all,” he mentions. “There’s an element to creating the perfect hat with someone that’s a little intimate—both in discussing the feel and style, as well as the details.”
You may be asking yourself, how does a business such as Christopher’s thrive in the wake of a global shutdown? Clients have been more likely to opt for phone and video calls vs interaction via text or social media, displaying an eagerness for some human to human interaction. Since many of his clientele are in different states and even other countries, Christopher was already prepared to handle his services virtually. He makes sure to extend an invitation to Skype or FaceTime for anyone unable to visit in-person, and although shipping was a tricky feat for good while, the postal storm seems to be settling regarding international shipping. “I’ve been having a lot more thoughtful conversations with people,” says Christopher, “and have come up with some of my best work yet because of it.”
To see more of Christopher’s work and inquire about a custom order, follow him on Instagram, @christopherjayheller, and stay safe!
Written by Dakota Nate | Photography by Robiee Ziegler
