Nepenthes New York collaborated with La Legion on these custom hats, drawing inspiration from vintage baseball caps and featuring a soft, short brim that creates a timeless yet distinctive silhouette. The body is made from dark navy wool serge and finished with a patched “NネY” logo at the front, along with an adjustable back for a comfortable fit.

This project grew out of a shared vision between La Legion’s design approach and Nepenthes New York’s Japanese roots and strong presence in New York City. From the beginning, the aim was to create something personal and thoughtful, grounded in the perspectives of both brands.

The hats were developed with a local factory in Newark, New Jersey, with time spent on site throughout the process. Rather than simply placing an order, the project involved a deeper level of engagement with the making of each piece. The team patiently handled detailed and sometimes demanding requests, while the process itself offered a close look at how each hat was constructed. Techniques were shared by the seamstresses, and opportunities to observe and take part revealed the level of skill, care, and concentration required behind the work. What first appeared simple quickly proved otherwise, leading to a deep respect for the craft.

Over time, the experience became more than just production. Through shared moments, conversations, and time spent together, a genuine connection with the people behind the work began to take shape. That experience added a different depth to the finished product, revealing how many hands are involved in making a single hat and how much care goes into something that may seem straightforward at first glance.

The “NネY” logo, created through the collaboration between La Legion and Nepenthes New York, also emerged from that same process. The “ネ” (Ne), placed between the N and Y, represents the first character of Nepenthes in Japanese katakana. By integrating ネ into NY, the design reflects the Japanese spirit at the core of Nepenthes while expressing a strong presence in New York City. In that sense, the logo became a natural symbol of the collaboration itself.