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Once Aretha Franklin sang at President Barack Obama's inauguration, it wasn't just her voice that wowed the crowd. Her choice of a gray felt custom-designed hat by South Korean immigrant Luke Song has lots of people wanting one for themselves. And talk about embellishments...the bow is bordered with Swarovski rhinestones. (WOW! Imagine all of that "Bling" on a quilt!) This one of a kind hat that was hand-molded is not for sale, but if it was Song says it would cost about $500. A replica sells for about $180.
Now the Smithsonian Institution wants to add Aretha's studded hat to an exhibit designed to showcase President Obama's historic day. Reports say that Aretha has not decided if she will part with her hat and donate it for the exhibition. Would you?
Designer Luke Song who is a Detroit native and graduate of Parsons in New York, designs hats for his family owned Mr. Song Millinery. Ms. Franklin has been a customer for 20 years. The design for this hat came from two different hats at the store. "She walked through the shop and said 'I want that bow (put) on that hat,'" Song said. "She had the coat already, but she needed the hat to set it off." Mr. Song Millinery is now in over five hundred retail shops around the country and they expect sales to increase 300 to 400% this year alone as a result of the Inauguration hat.
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