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Sabreena Urness is the owner and artisan behind Stellar + Sun Hat Co, a boutique hat-making studio based in Paso Robles wine country. Inspired by the rugged beauty and cowboy culture of the region, Sabreena’s bespoke, handcrafted hats are a beautiful fusion of fashion and function. “All hat, no cattle” is not her style.
“I’m not in LA, I’m not in San Francisco — I’m on the Central Coast and there are actual ranchers, cowboys, and makers who need quality hats,” shared Sabreena. “My clients are often eccentric and artistic. They stand out in a crowd. They appreciate a one-of-a-kind item and desire to wear a piece that tells a story. Every Stellar hat is as unique as its owner — never replicated to be exactly alike.”
It’s this distinct artistry that turned our heads here at Nomada Deco. So, creative director Kimberly Walker sought out Sabreena to commission a capsule collection for River Lodge, Nomada’s new boutique hotel in Paso Robles.
The partnership seamlessly blends Sabreena’s exquisite craftsmanship with River Lodge’s rustic-chic design aesthetic, culminating in a bold collection that includes two handwoven, hand-dyed Ecuadorian palm straw hats and three western fedoras crafted from the finest American beaver felt available.
In explaining her creative process for the collaboration, Sabreena said: “I simply started by immersing myself in the space! The 3 felt hat colors in this collection were selected as I lounged poolside and sipped an Aperol spritz one hot Paso summer afternoon. The simplicity of the gorgeous tile work is represented by the camel tan & emerald green hats that were aptly named Terracotta & Cacti! Then I selected a burgundy hat we named Rhone Ranger because in Paso Wine Country, there’s always the promise of a chilled glass of red wine, even on a summer night. The poolside lounge was the main vein of inspiration for the hand-woven straw hats as well — Prickly Pear & Sunrise.”
It can take hundreds of hours of handiwork to craft a single hat, even for experienced makers like Sabreena, who was trained in all the traditional techniques of the trade throughout her stepfather’s 25-year career as a hatter.
Each felt hat starts as a raw hat body, also known as a “blank” – which Sabreena forms into the right size before blocking the hat. Using a wooden block and a steamer, Sabreena hand-molds and massages the softened hat body, shaping the crown and brim into the client’s desired style. Then, Sabreena sews in a silk liner, sweatband, and hatband on the inside of the crown.
After that, it’s time for the fun part – the finishing details. Sabreena adorns her designs with eclectic embellishments like feathers, beads, gems, pins, hand stitching, ribbons, patches, or even personal items submitted by the client. In our case, Sabreena integrated materials pulled directly from the hotel’s original furnishings and decor into her designs for River Lodge.
Each felt hat starts as a raw hat body, also known as a “blank” – which Sabreena forms into the right size before blocking the hat. Using a wooden block and a steamer, Sabreena hand-molds and massages the softened hat body, shaping the crown and brim into the client’s desired style. Then, Sabreena sews in a silk liner, sweatband, and hatband on the inside of the crown.
After that, it’s time for the fun part – the finishing details. Sabreena adorns her designs with eclectic embellishments like feathers, beads, gems, pins, hand stitching, ribbons, patches, or even personal items submitted by the client. In our case, Sabreena integrated materials pulled directly from the hotel’s original furnishings and decor into her designs for River Lodge.
“[My favorite part of this collaboration was] when Kimberly gave me the materials, trinkets, and scraps from her warehouse to use in my design process. If you know how she works, you would know that these elements are carefully curated, customized, and selected textiles! Incorporating these materials made the process exciting and interesting! Some of the fabric used as trim on the hats can be found on upholstered chairs in the lobby - a nod to the authenticity and specificity of this collaboration with attention to detail,” shared Sabreena.
The Stellar + Sun x River Lodge collection is now exclusively available for purchase in the hotel lobby shop.
