Meet Tj Vong | Hat Maker & Brand Ambassador

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tj Vong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi TJ, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
There’s many reasons I pursued a creative career. But the easiest way to explain why, is that it just felt right. I was never one to draw within the lines, I almost always established my own path. I did this because enjoyed exploring new approaches or views and any career or job that didn’t allow me to do this I ultimately failed at. There was plenty of trial and error but I eventually found opportunities to express myself in successful creative ways which translated profitable skills. As I did this the more fluid my creativity became which lead to greater fulfillment in my professional career.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When it comes to my journey, I’ve always been creative but I really started pursuing creative aspects after high school. I moved to Denver to go to college for Culinary Arts, unfortunately I quickly realized that this field wasn’t for me. It took a few years before I could find stable ground in a creative field again which lead to bartending. For the last twelve years or so I have been in the Liquor industry. For most of it I was bartending throughout Denver; competing in cocktail competitions and helping manage bar programs. I was known for my highly interactive cocktail designs and competed all over the United States. One of the more notable achievements was becoming Top 20 in the world in Patrón Perfectionists.

Through many of these years, fashion was also a focus of mine. I not only enjoyed standing out in the cocktail world but also behind the bar. When I worked for Mizu Izakaya I was completely in my element with full autonomy over creations and presence. This is were I truly started wearing Fedoras. From this point I wore a fedora nearly everyday and I became known for it. To this day most people don’t know what my hair looks like and most of them think I’m bald. That’s how iconic my hats are!

Eventually this love for fedoras grew into the passion it is today. To me everyone is royalty and deserves a crown to express their personality to their fullest. I developed Crown Hat Co. to not only further my creativity but also to help people express their personality and creativity. I also developed the brand because there were no other brands like it. My designs are fully bespoke and take approximately three days to make from scratch. Every detail is hand-made. Additionally, for those hatters out there that make hats in the same fashion have a significantly higher price point! Hats of similar designs that are mass produced usually come in on the high side around $300. You can find some notable brands that allow you to shape them and decorate them in the shop starting around $600. When it comes to fully hand-made and customizable they usually sell for over $1000!

Crown Hat Co. utilized rabbit, beaver, and rabbit/beaver blends for their felts and to receive a fully customized hat made by hand it ranges between $400-$800 depending on material and design requests. We believe fashion should be affordable and obtainable. You can wear these pieces casually or fully suited up, it’s your story how would you share it?

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s so many things to do around the Denver area it’s hard to chose! For a week long trip though we can even get outside of the city. More than likely I would get out of the city during the week for a couple of days. So my itinerary might look a little something like this:

Monday:
Light hike to St. Mary’s Glacier.
Paddleboarding & lunch at Lake Dillon.
Drive to Steam Boat.
Early dinner at Tabernash Tavern.
Finishing the day at Strawberry Hot Springs.

Tuesday:
If we’re feeling up to it Head towards to Breckenridge to do some downhill mountain biking.
Finish with some dinner at Rootstalk to say hi to friends.
Then Back to Denver.

Wednesday
We keep it chill and go tubing in Littleton
Hit a brewery.
Then hit a few cocktail spots like Yacht Club, Williams & Graham, and/or Run for the Roses.
Finishing with Dinner at Hey Kiddo or Restaurant Olivia.

Thursday
Try to hit one of the beautiful golf courses around Denver: Fox Hollow, Evergreen, or Estates Park.
Get fitted for a custom hat!

Friday
We grill out at one of the amazing parks with friends during the day
At night we hit a show at Red Rocks for a show and take up a bus from 303 Party Bus!

Saturday
We could hit a game or we enjoy an afternoon at Meow Wolf
Finish a day in leisure with mobile hibachi at someones pool!

Sunday
We relax and explore the town
Grab Brunch
Hop on a scooter
Hitting some of my favorites bars and restaurants for a food/drink tour

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It’s impossible to shoutout to a single person, the last twelve plus years has included waves of hurdles and success. With these waves there has been a number of mentors like Brian Medina when I was the military who pushed me to be the best person I could be. There was even a number of friends like Topher Hartfield who challenged my creativity and growth in the world of cocktails. Most recently though, my best friend Tatsu Ogata has supported my creative interests into who I am today as one of my silent investors for my hat company. My journey has included many friends, acquaintances, and relationships that would be challenging to share in this article but I appreciate nonetheless!

Website: crownhatcompany@gmail.com

Instagram: @crownhatco