Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/385207
photography by Jesse LiroLa (graham thompson), rockit ranch productions (sunda) Head of the Class As OptimO HAts Opens its new HeAdquArters in A HistOric sOutH side fireHOuse, Owner Graham Thompson tips His HAt tO His fAvOrite plAces tHrOugHOut cHicAgO. by meG maThis Graham Thompson's love of hats dates back to his childhood in Chicago's western suburbs. "I'd watch old black-and-white movies, and the hat always seemed to be a signature of some of the coolest guys," says Thompson, who also observed chapeaus on the crème de la crème of style arbiters: rockers and blues musicians. "Hats have longevity because they can morph into however you're dressing at the time," adds Thompson, who, as the founder of 20-year-old Optimo Hats, has outfitted everyone from A-list actors Johnny Depp and Christian Bale to musicians Buddy Guy and Jack White. As Thompson—whose go-to hat, the LaSalle, is an update of the 1940s fedora—prepares to open Optimo's new factory in the century-old 95th Street fire station in Beverly, he gives a nod to his top spots in Chicago. "I like things that are built to last. George Greene (49 E. Oak St., 312-654-2490; george-greene.com) is a comfortable place with a knowledgeable staff, and they've got well-curated [men's clothing]. I go to Paul Stuart (107 E. Oak St., 312-640-2650; paulstuart.com) for classic pieces that are a good value and last a long time. They have really good shoes from England. "When I'm checking in on the [Optimo] store in the Monadnock (320 S. Dearborn St., 312-922-2999; optimo.com), I always stop in Intelligentsia (53 W. Hatmaker-to-the-stars Graham Thompson wearing one of his creations, the Milan straw fedora. STYLE Social Network ( Plan on building your dream home? OUR CONSTRUCTION- TO-PERMANENT LOANS OFFER A SINGLE CLOSE, SEAMLESS LOAN PROCESS.