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The hatters James and George Lock from Mr. Lock, situated in St. James Street
designed the bowler hat. It was known by them as the “iron hat”. The locks then
sent the hat
design to the hatmakers William and Thomas Bowler, who produced a prototype for
Coke. The “iron hat” was soon known as the Bowler, after the family name of the
makers. This name has been used ever since. The Bowler was made hard, to protect
game keepers’ heads from low branches whilst riding horseback.

The hat reached its peak of popularity at the end of the 19th century, when
it offered a compromise between the formality of the upper class top hat and the
lower middle class soft felt hats.

Ironically the bowler became a cultural identifier with two completely
meanings: through most of England it was associated with butlers, the assumption
that a man seen in the street wearing a bowler was a Gentleman’s servant.
However in London, it was associated with professionals, such as a Lawyer, Bank
or government official.

The bowler hat has become an icon, as the preferred headwear for the city
gentleman.

In the USA, the bowler is known as the derby hat, where the derby was
associated with the well-to-do that had risen from the working class. It is seen
worn in movies of the 1930s and 1940s as a signal that the wearer is of this
social group. Al Smith, a politician of the 1920s, was often seen wearing his
derby.

In France the bowler is known as the “chapeau melon”, whilst in Germany the
bowler hat is known as the Melone, meaning melon, due to its shape.

In Bolivathe the bowler is worn predominately by the women.