Denim Hell Cat Cap. Papa Nui x The Bengal Stripe Collaboration.

Nico Lazaro is one of those unsung heroes in menswear that operates behind the scenes without the Pitti fanfare. Wordsmith and visionary he is the man behind the Bengal Stripe substack series as well as the former figure behind the awesome story telling for US retailer Buck Mason. The Bengal Stripe chronicles Nico’s menswear journey, the moniker referring to both the blue and white shirting fabric as well as a veiled reference to his Cultural heritage. His interests in British colonial uniforms and the Ghurka troops in particular, lead Nico into the hemisphere of The Papa’s metaphoric Atoll and discussions of all things cap related. Sharing a mutual love for indigo and looking for an avenue to offer his readers exclusive product, Nico and I have developed a special edition Hell Cat Cap. Crafted especially in Japan this cap draws its inspiration from the late years of WWII and US Navy operations in the North Pacific. The intense light in this geographic climate required a heighten awareness of the sun’s rays and so caps were redesigned to provide better shelter and protection for personnel. Using a rare indigo denim that was reproduced from an 1860’s salesman’s swatch book, this Amoskeag fabric is second to none for developing a highly desired patina and was chosen by Nico to be the forebare of his first Papa Nui Collaboration. The Nico Denim Hell Cat comes in sizes Medium 57-58cm, Large 59-60cm and X-Large 61-62cm. All product ships internationally from Australia and is available to order via Nicolazaro.com and the Papa Nui Cap Co. -Made in Japan -Indigo cotton denim with selvedge sweatband detailing. -Grey tonal stitching. -Grey cotton contrast under visor. -Army duck canvas visor lining.