Casa Ponsol

From beanies to berets, sun hats to sports caps, the choice of head gear at Casa Ponsol is quite astonishing. If you need a special occasion top hat or a distinguished Cordobes black hat, then you’ll find it in this emporium of stylish headwear. Casual hats are very much catered for too, from Stetsons, leather sports caps to felt hats that come with a jaunty feather tucked in the side.

If you’re looking for a memento and something particularly special, Casa Ponsol’s berets, known as the Basque beret or the beret txapela, are available in a wide range of colourful hues or sombre blue or black as is the tradition of the Aragonese and Navarrian shepherds from the Ansó and Roncal valleys of the Pyrenees. Made from wool, they should be worn slightly angled, half an inch above the ear. You can even ask Casa Ponsol to embroider your beret for the ultimate personalised souvenir

The history of this illustrious shop is long and eventful, a story that began in 1838 when Bernardo Ponsol from France founded Casa Ponsol for ladies’ headdresses. Its early years saw the shop take root in San Sebastian and began to draw acclaim from notable dignitaries including Queen Maria Cristin, who awarded Agapito Ponsol (Bernardo’s son) with the “Royal Household Supplier” title in 1897 for the berets he made for Alfonso XIII.

Around this time José Luis Leclercq y Uranga entered the business and proved himself to be an accomplished partner to Agapito, and after his demise, the Leclerq family who run the business to this day, took over. At the beginning of the century, they imported British presses and by 1914, fourteen milliners and ten skilled hat makers were busily working away at their skilled craft. During the hard times of the war the shop was taken over by the Falange to make military caps. Today the fourth generation Leclerq family run Casa Ponsol, a beautifully restored heritage shop with original 19th century furniture that gleams from its magnificently renovated windows, welcoming all who are lucky enough to discover it.