Today we’d like to introduce you to Cassie MacGregor.
Cassie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I have been making hats since 2002. I was living in New York and working in an auction house which I loved but also trying to find a way out of an office job! The Fashion Institute of Technology offered evening classes in hat making and I thought it would be fun. I was hooked from my first hat and ended up taking two years of classes. I finally got brave enough to quit my day job and worked for a bunch of hat makers around the city for four years. I ended up moving back to Dallas in 2007 and opened up the House of MacGregor above the restaurant Bolsa in Oak Cliff. We make custom men’s and women’s straw and felt fedoras as well as special occasion hats for the Kentucky Derby, weddings, etc. Half our business is done in March and April with people from Dallas headed to the derby and the rest of the year has a slightly slower pace. We also make custom bow ties and pocket squares for our male clients.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I first moved back to Dallas I thought I would be making a lot of cowboy hats for women but that has not been the case at all. In fact, our first few years most of our clients were men who wanted to wear a hat that suited them but that they also wouldn’t see on somebody else around town. Early in my millinery career a set of beautiful circumstances landed one of our fascinators on the cover of W Magazine. It was just what I needed at the right time to give me the confidence to continue pursuing this unique career.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The House of MacGregor – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As a company, I think we specialize in bringing what’s on the inside of someone’s personality to shine on the outside. I know I have succeeded at making a hat when my client tries it on and says “you really got me!” I try to ask a lot of questions at the outset and get a feeling for what people’s taste are before starting to work on a piece. I am also constantly asking myself what detail makes our hats different. Why would you buy it from me versus a department store? Also, I put my name in every hat. It’s a sense of pride that you want it to look good!
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
From a fashion perspective, Dallas likes to dress up, which has made it a great place to land this kind of business. I live in Oak Cliff, next to Bishop Art’s, and it has to be the friendliest neighborhood in town. I know so many neighbors, it seems like there is always a block party happening thanks to Go Oak Cliff. The neighborhood has also been super supportive of this little hat shop. I also find so much inspiration at the DMA, everything going on around the Joule Hotel, and of course Neiman Marcus. I never thought I would click with Dallas as much as I have! There is so much going on in New York that there is never enough time to do any of it. I have found Dallas to be the exact opposite!
It’s hard to say what I like the least. It is such a car culture that your opportunities to mix with people outside of your own bubble are pretty slim. I miss the element of surprise in your day when you aren’t quite sure who or what you might encounter.
Pricing:
- Straw Hats range from $135-$190
- Felt Hats range from $190-$255
- Special Occasion Hats $280-$500
Contact Info:
- Address: 614 W. Davis Street, #203
- Website: www.thehouseofmacgregor.com
- Phone: 214-942-1966
- Email: info@thehouseofmacgregor.com
- Instagram: the_hous_of_macgregor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HouseOfMacGregor/
Image Credit:
Elliott Munoz Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
