there are only three companies in the world making traditional foldable top hats, so called opera hats or chapeau claque. Aleisa in south-west Germany is one, run by a 40-ish dude who is the last master of this trade.

it's the only company that still does shellac-soaked fabric for the outer rim. the whole hat takes 150 manual steps. customers included Winston Churchill, Dwight D. Eisenhower and King Charles. only 1500 hats are made each year.

a hat costs 400EUR and takes 2-4 weeks to make.