Herbert Johnson
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA London hatter and cap maker known for traditional dress hats, military headwear, sporting hats, and screen-used film and television headgear.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Herbert Johnson is a historic London hatter and cap maker founded in 1889 by Herbert Lewis Johnson. The business began at 45 New Bond Street and developed from a specialist retail and commissioning operation into a recognized British headwear name. Johnson came from a hat-making family: his father, William Johnson, had moved from Newcastle upon Tyne to London and worked for Lincoln, Bennett & Co. of Piccadilly, while Herbert himself was apprenticed to the same firm from 1872. After his father's death in 1889, Herbert used an inheritance, together with assistance from Edward John Glazier, to establish his own shop. The firm moved to 38 New Bond Street in 1895 and remained there for approximately eighty years. It operated primarily as a designer and retailer that commissioned hats from manufacturers in London and from workshops in Luton and Stockport. Its early reputation rested particularly on refined silk-velvet top hats, including lightweight constructions using a fine fabric body coated with shellac. The shop also became associated with formal, military, and uniform headwear. It received a royal appointment as hatter to King Edward VII in 1901, followed by warrants connected with the courts of the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Greece, and the German Empire. Military business became especially important during the First World War. Herbert Johnson developed a soft-topped cap intended to be practical in field conditions, and versions of the design were adopted as dress caps by a number of regiments. The firm's output later expanded beyond traditional hats. Under managing director Robin Benson, appointed in 1984, Herbert Johnson was developed more deliberately as a broader brand, with branded outerwear, ties, socks, and leather accessories added to its range. The company experienced several ownership and strategic changes in the late twentieth century. It became associated with the John Crowther Group, which pursued plans for additional shops and department-store concessions. Those plans were disrupted by the group's acquisition by Coloroll and the subsequent sale of Herbert Johnson to the Response Group. When Response entered receivership in 1990, the business was acquired by its own management, under chairman and managing director Anthony Marangos. Designers including Sylvia Fletcher and the American milliner Prudence contributed to a renewed women's fashion offering during this period. Swaine Adeney Brigg acquired Herbert Johnson in 1996. Following the acquisition, the brands shared premises at several London locations before settling in Piccadilly Arcade. The product emphasis subsequently moved away from decorative women's millinery and toward sporting and hunting hats, formal men's hats, military headwear, and hats for other uniformed professions. This orientation complements Swaine Adeney Brigg's wider positioning around traditional British craftsmanship and luxury accessories. Herbert Johnson has also achieved unusual cultural visibility through famous hats and helmets. Its headwear has appeared in films and television programmes including Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Avengers, Dad's Army, Doctor Who, A Shot in the Dark, Batman, and White Hunter Black Heart. The company's Indiana Jones-style Poet hat is its most widely recognized cinematic association. Historic examples include a collapsible silk top hat recovered from the wreck of RMS Titanic and a racing helmet designed for Lieutenant-Colonel Goldie Gardner. A white version of that helmet was worn by Stirling Moss when he won the 1957 British Grand Prix at Aintree. Today the brand remains a specialist British hat-making name within the Swaine Adeney Brigg group, with its identity rooted in formal headwear, military and sporting traditions, and bespoke or heritage craftsmanship.
History
Herbert Johnson's history begins with Herbert Lewis Johnson, born in Westminster in 1856 to William Johnson, a Newcastle-born hatter who worked for Lincoln, Bennett & Co. in Piccadilly. Herbert entered an apprenticeship with Lincoln, Bennett in 1872. In 1889, after receiving an inheritance of £500 following his father's death, he established a hat shop at 45 New Bond Street. Edward John Glazier provided important financial and practical support during the foundation of the business. The firm moved to 38 New Bond Street in 1895, beginning a long association with the street and its luxury retail trade. In its early decades Herbert Johnson was principally a specialist hat retailer and commissioner. It designed and specified headwear while relying on established manufacturing centres in London, Luton, and Stockport. Its best-known early products included silk-velvet top hats made with lightweight 'gossamer' bodies. These constructions reflected the technical traditions of nineteenth-century British hatting. Royal and aristocratic patronage helped establish the firm's reputation. Herbert Johnson received an appointment as Hatter to King Edward VII in 1901. Additional warrants followed from Nicholas II of Russia, George I of Greece, and Wilhelm II of Germany. During the First World War, military requirements became a major part of the firm's trade. Johnson devised a soft-topped cap intended for practical field use, and the design was adopted as a dress cap by a number of regiments. Herbert Johnson retired in 1928 at the age of 72 and sold his interest to Edward Glazier. Glazier incorporated the business in 1929 as Herbert Johnson (Bond Street) Limited. The firm remained at 38 New Bond Street until 1975, when a proposed rent increase from roughly £3,500 to nearly £35,000 per year forced a move to 13 Old Burlington Street. In 1988 it returned to New Bond Street, occupying number 30. A more ambitious brand-expansion phase began after Robin Benson became managing director in 1984. Herbert Johnson was used increasingly as a consumer-facing brand rather than only as the name of a single hat shop. The range expanded to include outerwear, ties, socks, and leather accessories. The John Crowther Group subsequently acquired Herbert Johnson (Bond Street) Limited and Herbert Johnson (Sales) Limited. It planned a broader network of shops and department-store concessions, but these ambitions were not realized after John Crowther was taken over by Coloroll and the business was sold to the Response Group. Response entered receivership in February 1990, after which Herbert Johnson was sold to its own management. Anthony Marangos became chairman and managing director. He recruited designers such as Sylvia Fletcher and worked with the American milliner Prudence, giving the women's fashion business renewed momentum. The period was relatively brief, however, because Swaine Adeney Brigg acquired the firm in 1996. After the acquisition, Herbert Johnson shared premises with Swaine Adeney Brigg, first at 10 Old Bond Street and later at 54 St James's Street, before moving to Piccadilly Arcade. The business was subsequently refocused. Decorative women's millinery was reduced or discontinued, while sporting and hunting hats, formal men's hats, military headwear, and hats for uniformed occupations became more prominent. This product strategy aligned Herbert Johnson with Swaine Adeney Brigg's broader heritage-luxury approach. The brand's cultural record is unusually visible for a specialist hatter. Its products have been worn by characters and performers in The Avengers, Dad's Army, Doctor Who, The Pink Panther films, Batman, and White Hunter Black Heart. Its most famous association is the broad-brimmed, high-crowned Poet hat worn by Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Herbert Johnson hats were also worn by Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger. A collapsible silk top hat bearing the firm's label was recovered from RMS Titanic, while a lightweight racing helmet made for Goldie Gardner was later worn by Stirling Moss and became a trophy after being covered in gold. The company therefore occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of British millinery, uniform tradition, luxury retail, and popular culture.
- 1996
Acquisition by Swaine Adeney Brigg
[1]Swaine Adeney Brigg acquires Herbert Johnson and later integrates its retail presence with the group.
- 1990
Management buyout after receivership
[1]Following Response Group's receivership, the business is sold to its management.
- 1988
Return to New Bond Street
[1]The business returns to New Bond Street, this time at number 30.
- 1984
Brand expansion under Robin Benson
[1]Managing director Robin Benson expands the branded range beyond hats into clothing and accessories.
- 1975
Forced relocation from 38 New Bond Street
[1]A steep proposed rent increase leads the firm to move to 13 Old Burlington Street.
- 1929
Business incorporated
[1]The firm is registered as Herbert Johnson (Bond Street) Limited.
- 1928
Founder retires
[1]Herbert Johnson retires and sells his interest to Edward John Glazier.
- 1901
Royal appointment from Edward VII
[1]Herbert Johnson is appointed Hatter to King Edward VII.
- 1895
Move to 38 New Bond Street
[1]The firm moves to 38 New Bond Street, where it trades for roughly eight decades.
- 1889
First Herbert Johnson shop opens
[1]Herbert Johnson establishes his own hat shop at 45 New Bond Street in London.
Products and positioning
Traditional British hatter focused on heritage craftsmanship, formal dress, military and uniform headwear, and specialist sporting hats. The brand also benefits from historical royal appointments and prominent film, television, music, and motorsport associations.
Formal headwear
Silk-velvet top hats
A historic specialty of the firm. Herbert Johnson's silk-velvet top hats used lightweight body construction associated with the technical traditions of Lincoln, Bennett and other London hat makers. One collapsible example bearing the firm's label was recovered from RMS Titanic.
Film and fashion hats · 1981
Poet felt hat
A broad-brimmed, high-crowned felt hat associated with Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones character in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The style is the firm's most prominent cinematic association and represents its ability to combine traditional hat-making forms with popular culture.
Military headwear
Military and uniform caps
Military headwear has been part of the business since at least the First World War, when Herbert Johnson developed a soft-topped cap intended for practical field use. The firm continues to be associated with military and other uniformed-profession headwear.
Sporting headwear · 1996
Sporting and hunting hats
Following the Swaine Adeney Brigg acquisition, sporting and hunting hats became a central part of the range. These products extend the brand's traditional expertise into practical outdoor and country-wear contexts while retaining a formal British design language.
Protective headwear
Racing helmet
A lightweight but durable racing helmet was designed for Lieutenant-Colonel Goldie Gardner by Geoffrey Glazier. A white example was worn by Stirling Moss during his 1957 British Grand Prix victory at Aintree and later became known as the Golden Helmet Trophy.
Apparel and accessories · 1984
Outerwear and leather accessories
During the brand-expansion programme of the 1980s, Herbert Johnson added outerwear, ties, socks, and leather accessories to its hat-centered offering. These lines supported the use of Herbert Johnson as a wider lifestyle and clothing brand.
Brand decisions
1996
Acquisition by Swaine Adeney BriggM&ABackground
After changes involving the John Crowther Group, Coloroll, and the Response Group, Herbert Johnson was sold to Swaine Adeney Brigg.
Action taken
Swaine Adeney Brigg acquired the business and combined its premises and commercial direction with the wider group.
Aftermath
The product emphasis shifted toward sporting, hunting, formal men's, military, and uniformed-profession hats, while decorative women's millinery was discontinued.
1984
Expansion from hatter to broader branded rangeStrategyBackground
Managing director Robin Benson pursued growth by treating Herbert Johnson as a broader consumer brand rather than solely as a specialist hat shop.
Action taken
The company expanded into outerwear, ties, socks, and leather accessories.
Aftermath
The expansion increased the scope of the brand, although later ownership changes redirected the business toward specialist heritage headwear.
1975
Relocation after New Bond Street rent increaseStrategyBackground
The proposed annual rent at 38 New Bond Street rose from approximately £3,500 to nearly £35,000, making continued occupation impractical.
Action taken
Herbert Johnson moved to 13 Old Burlington Street.
Aftermath
The firm later returned to New Bond Street in 1988 before undergoing further changes in ownership and premises.
Annual rent. approximately £3,500 → nearly £35,000 (1975)
Sources3 sources
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