Master hatter Gyula Mihalkó continues a long family tradition of hat making.
Photo courtesy of Gyula Mihalkó
A hatter practices the tradition of hatmaking in the workshop of Mihalko in Hajdusag in eastern Hungary, 1970s.
Photo courtesy of Gyula Mihalkó
The size, shape, form, decoration, and accessories of hats were once powerful indicators of occupation and social status in Hungary. In the past, the swine-herder (kondás) wore a small derby-like hat with a little feather; the cow-herder (gulyás) wore a larger hat with a rounded crown and upturned brim; and the horseman (csikós) wore the largest hat of all, with a sweeping brim and a delicate feather tucked in the band.
