La Forme - Paris

Another address I was keen to check out whilst I was in Paris was Lorenzo Ré who's been making hat blocks here at La Forme - a stone's throw from La Bourse, since 1962. Unlike my friends in Luton (Boon and Lane) who also make hat blocks in metal, Lorenzo works entirely in wood - Linden wood to be precise. He's behind the very imposing door you can see here on the Rue Paul Lelong, which believe it or not used to be home to four similar businesses. As recently as the 60's, Lorenzo told me, there were dozens of hat block makers plying their trade in Paris, but now, as in the UK, these craftsmen are fast-becoming a dying breed.

Lorenzo trained as a sculptor in Italy, as many of the French hat block makers did. Now he works for the most prestigious clients in the world. He made the hat block for this incredible Philip Treacy hat below - it weighed in at 100 kilos! In his spare time (not much of that) Mr Ré continues to sculpt - here are some of the 500 heads he made for a puppet museum. He came across as being such a lovely man, a real artist.

PS you have to make an appointment to visit La Forme. Mr Ré's assistant was somewhat suspicious of me. I think she thought I might be a fashion spy....if only! You need around £300 to buy into a Lorenzo Ré hat block. Start saving!