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The Emporer


The Panama That Made History

The Emperor is the hat that started it all — the archetype of the Panama, worn by presidents, explorers, artists, and kings. Its tall 10cm crown, balanced 6cm brim, and commanding silhouette evoke the elegance of old Havana, the prestige of early diplomacy, and the quiet confidence of men who shaped nations.

This is the hat that was immortalised in photos, films, and dusty travel journals. Worn tilted over the eye or square on the brow, the Emperor carries history in every line — and presence in every room. It feels distinguished and speaks of another time.


✦ Key Features

  • 6cm Wired & Sewn Brim
    A true mid-width brim — wide enough to shade, sharp enough to style. Holds clean structure and frames the face with confidence.

  • 9.5cm Optimo Crown
    Designed to be folded and rolled - although it looks better if you don’t. 

  • Natural Ivory Toquilla Straw
    Woven by master artisans in Ecuador, crisp, breathable, and glowing in sunlight. The tone is neutral and ageless, designed to reflect heat and wear beautifully.

  • Classic Finish
    Trimmed with traditional black grosgrain — traditional, tailored, and never out of place.

  • Hand-Shaped in Our Atelier
    Finished with care and precision — because a hat like this deserves nothing less.


✦ Why It Works

The Emperor is more than stylish — it’s definitive. It sets the tone for the room and elevates everything you wear. Whether paired with a linen suit, a waistcoat, or simply good posture, it adds clarity, presence, and a sense of having arrived.

It’s ideal for those who honour craftsmanship, care about tradition, and appreciate the weight of a well-made classic. And when worn well, it reminds the world why Panama hats became famous in the first place.


✦ Ideal For:

  • Men seeking a tall-crowned, traditional Panama of historic calibre

  • Ceremonial dress, events, summer suits, and timeless travel

  • Oval, square, and longer faces — the crown elongates and balances beautifully

  • Lovers of heritage, precision, and legacy

  • Those who wear hats not as accessories, but as statements of character

Before you decide

The rolling Panama hat is a myth.
Here's the truth.

I've made and sold Panama hats for twenty years. 150,000 of them. And I can tell you with complete certainty: rolling a Panama hat is a myth sold to travellers who deserve better.

If you like your hats wonky and broken, roll away. I have a better solution.

— Oska · International Milliner of the Year 2021
Why Panama hats fail — and how we fixed it

Every Panama hat has two weak points.
We fixed both.


Most Panamas are woven from brisa straw — beautiful, traditional, fragile. Pack one in a suitcase and the crown cracks. The brim, unsupported, sags and loses its shape. The hat that looked perfect in the shop arrives a disappointment.

The industry's answer is the rollable hat. It's the wrong answer. Rolling compresses the exact weave that makes a Panama worth owning. The tube and the box are props. The hat inside will let you down.

The crown

Crochet construction

Indestructible. The same architecture used in the most resilient straw hat tradition. Cannot crack under pressure. Returns to shape without effort. Still breathes like a genuine Panama — because it is one.

The brim

Wire reinforcement

Internal wire holds the brim true regardless of how it's packed. Overhead locker, suitcase, backpack. It arrives exactly as it left — shape intact, silhouette perfect, ready to wear off the plane.

Read the full guide: Can you roll a Panama hat? →
The Diamond Traveller

Seventeen years of making it.
Then the stories came back.


I've been making crochet Panama hats for seventeen years. For a long time they were simply the most durable hat in our range. Then the stories started coming back.

Customers who'd taken them to places no Panama hat should survive. Long journeys. Hard conditions. Years of wear. The hat kept returning — shape intact, crown uncracked, brim holding true. While other Panamas were failing in overhead lockers, this one was crossing continents.

That's when I knew. This wasn't just a durable hat. It was the real answer to the problem every Panama traveller has — and nobody else in the world was offering it as one.

The Diamond Traveller is that hat. Named, positioned, and sold as the solution it always was.

Why Truffaux

The world's deepest Panama range.
One person behind all of it.


Truffaux has been fitting Panama hats for over twenty years — from our boutique in the Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne, to customers across the US, UK, Europe and beyond. We've opened stores in Hawaii, New York, Tokyo and France. We know every hat in this category. We know what breaks and what lasts.

The Travellers collection exists because I looked at what the industry was selling to travellers and decided it wasn't good enough. I found the construction that solved both failure points. Nobody else was offering it as a dedicated travel category. I made it one.

150,000 Hats fitted
20+ Years of craft
2021 International Milliner of the Year
4 Continents · stores opened
From the road

Real journeys.
Real hats.


★★★★★

"Many weeks into our travels and I can confirm it lives up to its name. The crown breathes, the hat stays put in the wind. Perfect for spring in the Albanian Alps. My wife wants one too."

Phillip Leane Albania · The Diamond Traveller
★★★★★

"A YouTube search on how to travel with hats led me to Oska's shop. The hat handles the rigours of travel better than I thought it would, springing back from all manner of mis-treatment."

Nicholas Hand Japan & France · The Traveller
★★★★★

"My shopping experience with Oska was great starting with his videos, asking questions via email, and finally making a purchase. I chose the Diamond Traveller given its ability to stand up to travel. My wife says it looks good."

Ron United States · The Diamond Traveller
One last thing

Your hat should outlast the trip.

Getting the right size is the only thing that matters now. If you're unsure, email Oska directly before you order — he's answered thousands of hat questions and won't waste your time.

Sizing

Measure your head where you want to wear the hat. Add 1cm for shrinkage. Full sizing guide →

Shipping to the US

Ships from Australia in 5–10 days, fully tracked. Packed carefully. Arrives in perfect condition, every time.

Not sure?

Email Oska before you buy. Get personal advice →
Easy returns if it's not right.

Choose your size
Size S
Regular price $589.00 Sale price $295.00 AUD
Taxes included.

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