Pharrell’s hat at last night’s Grammys got lots of laughs in a parody Twitter account that went viral. But few knew that the hat was designed by Vivienne Westwood in 1982, and has become an iconic piece of fashion history.
The hat was originally made for Westwood’s “Nostalgia of Mud” collection from 1982/ 1983, also called the “Buffalo” collection, and was sold at Westwood and McLaren’s store, World’s End. The hat itself has several names — including the “Buffalo Hat” and the “Mountain Hat.” According to Westwood, Pharrell purchased the hat himself a few years ago from World’s End, where it is still sold, for £95.
The hat famously appeared in Malcolm McLaren and the World’s Famous Supreme Team’s music video for their 1982 early hip-hop classic “Buffalo Girls.” The traditional American popular song, written in 1844 and called “Buffalo Gals,” was originally performed by blackface minstrel singer John “Cool White” Hodges. McLaren’s version was sampled on Neneh Cherry’s 1988 hit, “Buffalo Stance.”
You can watch the music video here: