How a Self-Taught Artisan Turned Flames Into Luxury Hats

In southern Spain, a self-taught hat-maker is capturing global attention with a technique that looks more like performance art than craftsmanship.

Alejandro Mateo, who once worked in aviation, now spends his days shaping felt hats using steam, tools he built himself, and real fire.

His dramatic process, often shared on social media, shows flames engulfing the hats as he burns texture, character, and markings into each piece.

Mateo first discovered custom hat-making in 2016 after meeting a designer in Mexico, later teaching himself through online tutorials.

COVID-19 became the turning point: his videos went viral, buyers rushed in, and celebrity actors like Viggo Mortensen and David Boreanaz began requesting pieces.

Today, he sells 20 to 25 hats monthly, priced between €450 and €800, mostly to the U.S. market. Every item is handmade, engraved, stitched, named, and treated as a one-of-a-kind creation.

Fashion editors say the appeal lies not only in the final result, but in watching the raw process, fire, tools, craft, and risk, unfold on screen. For Mateo, it all began as a hobby, but the flames that shape his hats have also shaped a global brand.