Eric Javits is the American luxury hat designer who founded the eponymous brand in 1985 and invented SquisheeÂŽ, the patented packable material that redefined what a luxury straw hat could be.
Over four decades, the brand has dressed actresses, royalty, and editors through every era of late-twentieth-century and twenty-first-century fashion, and remains one of the most distinctive names in luxury millinery worldwide.
In January 2025, the brand reached a new global audience when First Lady Melania Trump wore an Eric Javits navy boater hat at the presidential inauguration, a moment widely covered by CNN, CBS News, Fortune, and international media.
The full archive of his most defining designs lives in the icons collection.
This is the long form: who Eric Javits is, how he became a luxury hat designer, what SquisheeÂŽ actually is and how it changed the industry, and why a brand built on craftsmanship and quiet innovation has stayed relevant for forty years.
Eric Javits at a Glance
- Brand founded: 1985, New York City
- First hat designed: 1978
- Trained at: Rhode Island School of Design (painting and sculpture)
- Signature innovation: SquisheeÂŽ, patented woven synthetic material, launched 1995
- Industry recognition: Hat Designer of the Year and Hat Designer of the Decade (1990â1999)
- Member of: Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
- Archived in: Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute
- Editorial coverage: Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W Magazine, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, Elle
- Notable cultural moment: Designed the navy boater hat First Lady Melania Trump wore at the January 2025 presidential inauguration
-
Worn by: First Lady Melania Trump, Shakira, Martha Stewart, Linda Evangelista, Bella Hadid, Rita Ora, Jennifer Lopez
Â
From Fine Art to Millinery: How Eric Javits Became a Hat Designer
Eric Javits did not begin his career planning to design hats. He trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, studying painting and sculpture, and his first creative output was canvas-based fine art rather than headwear. The transition came through a fascination with form, specifically, with how three-dimensional objects could flatter, frame, and transform the human face.
Millinery, as a medium, sat at the precise intersection of his interests: the structural problem-solving of sculpture, the color sensitivity of painting, and the wearable proportionality of fashion design. He designed his first hat in 1978. By the mid-1980s, the work had developed enough commercial promise to support a brand of his own.
This origin matters because it shapes the brand's design language. Eric Javits hats are sculptural in a way most fashion accessories are not, proportions worked out as physical objects in space, not as flat illustrations adapted to fabric.Â
The crown shapes, brim curves, and silhouettes that have defined the brand for forty years come from an artist's eye for form.
Founding the Brand: New York City, 1985
Eric Javits opened his women's hat business in New York in 1985. The American luxury hat market at that point was dominated by European imports, Italian and French milliners with century-old houses and a handful of traditional American milliners working in formal occasion wear.
The market gap Javits identified was specific: nobody was making a hat that was simultaneously luxurious in materials and craftsmanship, refined enough for editorial fashion, and practical enough for the way American women actually lived.
Within a few years, his designs were placed in luxury boutiques and major department stores across New York and beyond. By 1987, the work was being featured in top-tier fashion magazines.
By 1988, his hats were appearing in mainstream publications like People, expanding his reach beyond fashion insiders. The brand built itself on repeat customers, women who bought one Eric Javits hat and came back for another because nothing else in the market measured up.
For a longer read on the brand's evolution and the broader context of luxury hat fashion in the late twentieth century, this piece on the history of hat fashion traces the territory.
The Invention of SquisheeÂŽ: The Material That Changed Luxury Headwear
The pivotal moment in the Eric Javits story came in 1995, with the launch of SquisheeÂŽ.
The problem Javits set out to solve was practical and persistent.
Natural straw, the standard material for luxury warm-weather hats, is beautiful but fragile. It cracks under pressure. It loses shape when wet.
It bleaches unevenly in the sun.
A traveling customer could not pack a fine straw hat into a suitcase and expect it to survive the trip. The luxury straw hat was, in effect, a stationary object, beautiful at home, impractical on the move.
Eric Javits spent years developing an alternative.
He worked through dozens of synthetic fiber blends, weave patterns, and finishing processes before arriving at the formula that would become SquisheeÂŽ: a proprietary woven material made from recycled synthetic fibers, engineered to look and feel like fine raffia straw while solving every practical limitation of the natural material.
Â
What Makes SquisheeÂŽ Different
SquisheeÂŽ delivers four properties no natural straw can match:
- Packability. A SquisheeÂŽ hat can be rolled, folded, stuffed into luggage, or sat on, and will return to its original shape. Natural straw cannot.
- UPF 50+ certification. Independent testing under AATCC methods confirms SquisheeÂŽ blocks 95â98% of UVA and UVB radiation. Most natural straw hats are not UPF certified at all.
- Water resistance. SquisheeÂŽ will not crack from moisture, melt when wet, or warp from rain. Natural straw is highly vulnerable to water damage.
- Color and shape retention. SquisheeÂŽ holds dye and form across seasons of repeated wear. Natural straw fades and softens.
For a deeper technical breakdown of the material, this guide on what Squishee is and how it works covers fiber composition, manufacturing process, and care.
Why SquisheeÂŽ Has Never Been Equaled
SquisheeÂŽ has been imitated since the early 2000s.
None of the imitations have matched the original on the combination of weave fineness, structural memory, and aesthetic resemblance to natural raffia. The reason comes down to two things: the patent itself, which protects the specific fiber-and-weave formulation Javits developed; and the institutional knowledge of how to manufacture it consistently at scale, which the brand has refined over thirty years of production.
The full SquisheeÂŽ lineup spans hats, bags, and accessories, with the Squishee straw hat collection representing the core of the brand's headwear identity.
Beyond SquisheeŽ, the brand's UPF 50+ rated hats represent some of the only luxury sun protection certified to medical-grade standards.
Design Philosophy: Function First, Then Form
Most fashion design begins with an aesthetic and works backward to make it functional. Eric Javits inverts the sequence.
Every hat begins with a practical question.
What does this hat need to do?
Protect from the sun?
Pack into a suitcase?
Survive a New York winter?
The answers shape every construction decision before the visual design begins, material choice, crown depth, brim width, inner band engineering, weight distribution. Only once the functional foundation is solved does the aesthetic work begin: refining proportions, choosing trims, developing colorways, finalizing the silhouette.
This sequence is rare in fashion, where the reverse approach is the norm. It is also why Eric Javits hats have the reputation they do for both performing and looking the part. The function is engineered in from the beginning rather than retrofitted after the fact.
For a longer read on the philosophy and craft behind the work, this piece on the art of hat making and craftsmanship explores the methodology in more depth.
Forty Years of Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1978 | First hat designed |
| 1985 | Brand founded in New York City |
| 1987 | Featured in top-tier fashion magazines |
| 1988 | Featured in mainstream publications including People |
| 1989 | Designs featured in Vogue |
| Early 1990s | Established as preferred designer for international set, royalty, and society |
| 1995 | SquisheeÂŽ launched; the patented packable hat material |
| 1997 | Brand expansion into handbags |
| 1990s | Named Hat Designer of the Year, then Hat Designer of the Decade (1990â1999) |
| 2001 | Coordinating footwear collection added |
| 2010s | Designs archived in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute |
| 2017 | Men's hat collection launched, exclusive to Barneys |
| 2019 | Featured in Harper's Bazaar |
| 2020s | Sustainability initiatives expanded; new proprietary materials including Sheniaâĸ |
| 2025 | First Lady Melania Trump wears Eric Javits navy boater at the presidential inauguration; brand reaches new global audience |
Eric Javits in Editorial and Cultural Context
Across four decades, the brand has been a recurring presence in fashion's most consequential publications and on its most photographed wearers.
Vogue, W Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, and Elle have all featured Eric Javits designs across editorial spreads and covers. Linda Evangelista wore the brand on a British Vogue shoot. Shakira wore his hats in music videos.
Martha Stewart, Bella Hadid, Rita Ora, and Jennifer Lopez have all been photographed in his designs.
The cultural through-line matters: Eric Javits has dressed editorial models, working actresses, and contemporary pop figures across radically different fashion eras. Few luxury accessories brands sustain that range.
For more on the women who have shaped the brand's identity over the years, this piece on iconic women who inspire the collections covers the muses behind specific designs.
The 2025 Inauguration Moment
On January 20, 2025, First Lady Melania Trump wore a navy wide-brimmed boater hat designed by Eric Javits to the presidential inauguration ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
The hat, paired with a navy silk wool ensemble by American designer Adam Lippes, became one of the most photographed accessories of the day and dominated international fashion coverage in the hours and days that followed.
Javits called the moment one of the greatest honors of his career. In a CBS News interview, he described drawing inspiration from a hat the First Lady had previously purchased from his website: "I sent another similar one as a reference, and those two designs sort of became the springboard of creating a winter version with a more abbreviated brim."
Due to the inauguration's last-minute move indoors because of freezing weather, Javits did not know if the hat would be worn until he saw it on television.
The cultural reach of the moment was immediate. The hat was covered by CNN, CBS News, Fortune, NBC, and major international outlets. It generated viral commentary, fashion-history comparisons (most often to Jacqueline Kennedy's iconic pillbox at the 1961 inauguration), and a marked increase in global brand awareness for Eric Javits.
For a brand built over four decades on quiet consistency rather than red-carpet drama, the inauguration moment represented a singular point of mainstream cultural visibility.
Industry Recognition and Permanent Archive
The work has been recognized by the institutions that matter in American fashion. Eric Javits is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), the industry body that defines American fashion's working standards.
He was named Hat Designer of the Year and, subsequently, Hat Designer of the Decade for 1990â1999. His designs are held in the permanent archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, the institutional record of fashion's most consequential work.
These are the credentials that distinguish a designer working at the level of cultural permanence from one working in seasonal trend cycles.
Sustainability: A Quiet, Long-Standing Commitment
Eric Javits has prioritized longevity over volume since the brand's earliest years, a position that aligns with what is now called sustainable fashion but predates the framing.
SquisheeÂŽ itself is made from recycled synthetic fibers, an intentional choice that reduces reliance on virgin petrochemicals. More fundamentally, the brand's design philosophy is built on the principle that a well-made hat should last for decades, not seasons.
Hats produced in the brand's first years are still worn by their original owners. The cost-per-wear math of a quality Eric Javits piece versus a fast-fashion alternative favors quality dramatically over time, and the environmental math follows the same logic, buying fewer, better things produces less waste than buying more, lesser things repeatedly.
For a closer look at the relationship between SquisheeÂŽ and sustainable design, this guide to the Squishee hat collection's design and function covers the material choices and the philosophy behind them.
Beyond Hats: The Full Eric Javits Brand
The SquisheeÂŽ concept evolved into a broader collection of packable accessories. Handbags joined the lineup in 1997, coordinating footwear in 2001, and small leather accessories in subsequent years.
A men's hat collection launched in 2017, exclusively at Barneys at first and later expanding through the brand's broader retail and direct-to-consumer footprint.
The unifying principle across categories is consistency: each piece, regardless of type, is built on the same foundation of quality materials, sculptural design, and engineered functionality. The bags are designed by the same eye that designed the hats. The shoes follow from the bags.
Within the headwear range itself, the diversity of silhouettes spans every category a modern wardrobe requires, from packable summer fedoras to structured winter cloches. For a closer look at how the brand's hats break down by silhouette and use case, this guide to women's hat types and styles covers the full range.
The full archive of pieces representing four decades of design is available across the complete hat lineup, with the most defining pieces collected in the icons range.
Summary: The Eric Javits Legacy
Eric Javits has spent forty years building one of the most distinctive names in American luxury millinery. The work spans editorial fashion, celebrity wardrobing, museum archive, and the daily wardrobes of customers around the world. The defining contributions:
- SquisheeÂŽ, the patented packable material that solved the central limitation of luxury straw hats and remains unmatched after three decades of imitation
- A design philosophy that begins with function and refines toward form, producing hats that perform as well as they photograph
- A standard of construction that produces hats lasting decades rather than seasons, aligning quality with sustainability long before the framing existed
- Cultural staying power across radically different fashion eras, from late-1980s editorial through 2020s pop culture
- Institutional recognition by the CFDA, by industry awards, and by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute archive
The simplest version of the story: Eric Javits is the American hat designer who took a craft most of fashion had moved past, applied an artist's eye and an inventor's discipline, and built a brand that has stayed relevant for forty years by refusing to compromise on either function or form.
FAQs About Eric Javits Luxury Hat Designer
Who is Eric Javits?
Eric Javits is an American luxury hat designer who founded his eponymous brand in 1985 in New York City. He is the inventor of SquisheeÂŽ, the patented packable woven material that has defined luxury sun-protective headwear for thirty years.
He is a member of the CFDA, was named Hat Designer of the Decade for 1990â1999, and his designs are held in the permanent archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
Who invented SquisheeÂŽ?
Eric Javits invented SquisheeÂŽ and launched it in 1995. The material is a patented woven synthetic made from recycled fibers, engineered to look and feel like fine raffia straw while delivering UPF 50+ sun protection, full packability, and water resistance, properties no natural straw can match.
What is SquisheeÂŽ made of?
SquisheeÂŽ is a patented woven synthetic material made from recycled fibers. It is engineered to mimic the look and texture of fine raffia straw while being significantly more durable.
SquisheeÂŽ is independently tested and certified UPF 50+, blocking 95â98% of UVA and UVB radiation.
When was the Eric Javits brand founded?
The Eric Javits brand was founded in 1985 in New York City. Eric Javits had designed his first hat in 1978, and by the mid-1980s the work had developed enough commercial momentum to support a dedicated brand.
Where are Eric Javits hats made?
Eric Javits hats are designed in New York City, with key pieces handmade in NYC and other production handled at the brand's vetted manufacturing partners. The full design and finishing process is conducted in the United States for the brand's flagship pieces.
Is Eric Javits still designing?
Yes. Eric Javits remains active as the brand's creative force, continuing to design new hat and accessory collections each season. The brand has expanded steadily across categories, bags, shoes, men's hats, while maintaining the original design and craftsmanship standards.
What is Eric Javits best known for?
Eric Javits is best known for inventing SquisheeÂŽ, the patented packable woven material that revolutionized luxury straw hats and for designing the wide-brim sun hats, packable fedoras, and structured cloches that have defined American luxury millinery since the 1990s.
Has Eric Javits won any awards?
Eric Javits was named Hat Designer of the Year and, subsequently, Hat Designer of the Decade for the 1990s. He is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
His designs are held in the permanent archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
Who has worn Eric Javits hats?
Eric Javits hats have been worn by a long list of editorial models, actresses, royalty, and contemporary cultural figures, including Shakira, Martha Stewart, Linda Evangelista, Bella Hadid, Rita Ora, and Jennifer Lopez. In January 2025, First Lady Melania Trump wore an Eric Javits navy boater hat at the presidential inauguration, generating major international coverage.
The brand has been featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, W Magazine, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, and Elle.
Did Eric Javits design Melania Trump's inauguration hat?
Yes. The navy wide-brimmed boater hat First Lady Melania Trump wore at the January 20, 2025 presidential inauguration was designed by Eric Javits. The accompanying navy silk wool coat and skirt ensemble was designed by American designer Adam Lippes.
The hat became one of the most discussed accessories of the day and was covered internationally by CNN, CBS News, Fortune, and NBC.
How can I tell if my Eric Javits hat is authentic?
Authentic Eric Javits hats carry the signature rivet logo, typically placed at the back of the crown. SquisheeÂŽ hats include certification labels for UPF 50+ rating.
Genuine pieces are sold through the brand's direct e-commerce site and authorized luxury retailers; pieces sold through unauthorized resellers should be authenticated independently before purchase.
