Born British, Raised on the Streets of New York.In 1938 in a remote corner of Northwest England, Kangol was officially born. Looking to create a unique brand moniker, founder Jacques Spreiregen created the name by combining the ‘K’ from knitting, the ‘ANG’ from angora, and the ‘OL’ from wool. Early on Kangol was the preferred hat choice for the Duke of Windsor, Greta Garbo, and Marlene Dietrich. With Europe on the brink of war,Kangol joined the war effort and outfitted the British Armed Forces throughout WWII. After the war, Kangol produced berets for the English Olympic Team to wear in the 1948 opening ceremonies.Ever the innovator, Kangol in the 1950s added a stiffened peak to their knitted beret and the Wool 504 flat cap was born. Named the ‘504’ after the reference number of the wooden hat block from which it had been shaped, the ‘504’ has become one of the brand’s most recognizable styles.
