BLOCK, the name, is all about headwear. [BLOCK]head and of course hat[BLOCK] - the name given to the piece of carved wood that hats are molded around with steam to give their shape (they are "blocked"). The strong simple logo echoes the piece of wood that is used to produce the hats - an uncomplicated graphic that will prove instantly recognizable in its simplicity. The name states what the brand is about - headwear. Headwear that has thought, skill and experience behind its inception.
BLOCK takes standard hat shapes and reworks them discreetly. The dimensions of brims and crowns are altered to provide fresher silhouettes. Traditional materials such as wool, felt, straw, and cotton are worked over to lend character to the range. Its aim is to provide a fresh and relaxed range of simple, quality headwear for men. The range isn't trend-driven, it's style-driven - not too "fashion" and not too "sports". The hats are for everyday, "keep-the-sun-off", "keep-your-head-warm" wear that complements the wardrobe of today's contemporary man.
BLOCK is based in New York. Its first collection was introduced in August 2000 and received a positive response from across the board. Speciality stores, and independent shops wanted a piece of BLOCK. Today, the styles are carried by well known retailers around the world - Barneys New York, Fred Segal, Lisa Klein, Nordstrom, Holt-Renfrew (Canada), Selfridges (UK) , and Beams (Japan), are just a sampling.
The brand continues to develop through product placement in publications, films, television and music videos. Tiki Barber, Dave Chapelle, Sean Paul, Daniel Powter, Will.I.Am. and Wilmer Valderrama have been spotted wearing BLOCK. Stylists for Donell Jones, Madonna, Pitbull, Rihanna, Saigon, Will Smith and Nick Cannon's "Wild-N Out" have recently requested hats.
Ciomi McCabe, founder of BLOCK was born in Havana, Cuba and grew up in the hat business. Her father served as the CFO of Kangol Inc., and Ciomi, following in dad's footsteps, went to work at Kangol for 15 years. Through her tenure there, she amassed an unparalleled network of contacts within the headwear industry: from design and merchandising to production and sales. It's this extensive experience that drove her to establish BLOCK.
In March 2006, BLOCK HEADWEAR was acquired by Concept One Accessories where Ciomi remains as President and Head-Designer of the BLOCK division.As a result of this venture, BLOCK has begun to expand into additional accesories categories that will complement its headwear mix. A limited collection of bags in washed canvas with leather accents will debut for Spring/Summer 2007.
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