CULLMAN, Ala. – Meet Savannah Nunnelley, the woman behind the creation and design of Collier Custom Hats.
What is a custom hat you might ask? Nunnelley described customizing and shaping a hat to fit the individual’s character and style.
Nunnelley, wife to Wesley and mother to two small cowboys Cohen and Cade, said she felt she was missing out on following her passion and her purpose.
“After having our youngest boy in May of 2023, I felt complete as a family, but I didn’t as an individual,” Nunnelley said. “You see deep down I have a passion for hats of all kinds, particularly cowboy hats. On any given day you will see me wearing a hat of some kind as I chase around my two favorite little cowboys. From there, God laid on my heart to chase my dream in life and do what would make me complete. Collier Custom Hats was birthed from a dream I had about owning my own hat store and seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they experienced customizing their own hat in my store. The very next day I explained to my husband the dream and the passion I have to offer this custom hat experience in our area. I guess my enthusiasm was so loud about fulfilling my dream; without hesitation he replied, ‘Let’s do this, how do we start.’ His support put a fire beneath me and the chase to make this dream our reality began in November 2023. God has blessed this journey in just a few short months and with each step I’ve taken I know more and more, this is my purpose. Shape a hat, share a smile and in return they smile as they leave wearing their custom hat.”
Collier Custom Hats was created just a few months ago but is already making an impact on the community.
“I started by purchasing hats, supplies and all things decorative sitting down at our kitchen table designing each hat differently,” Nunnelley said. “As I would complete each hat, the dream was growing bigger – sharing my work of hats with my friends and family. I sincerely give credit to my friends and family that would admire my hats and show support by wanting one for themselves. This was my fuel to go even deeper in the realm of hats and chase after the bigger dream.
“From there, it went from my kitchen table making a few hats every couple weeks to looking into hat-shaping training that I could attend to widen my dream into owning a whole hat experience business. In March of this year, I attended Hat Masters (Owners of The Cow Lot) in Denver, Colorado, where I was taught how to become a ‘hat shaping queen,’ as I like to call it. I was not only taught the art of hat shaping, but empowered by so many amazing individuals there to chase and accomplish my dream in my small town in Alabama. As my husband and I have prayed about this business, we truly believe God is directing our paths along the way and 2024 is our year to embark on this journey together as a family, sharing love for hats and people all along the way.”
For Nunnelley, building and creating a hat shows the individual’s personality, fashion choices and lifestyle. She said for her, most days it’s a ball cap as she runs errands in town or just rush out the door with her two small boys.
“My dad loves to sport a cowboy hat for just about anything, from weddings to feeding horses; it’s his personality,” Nunnelley said. “He loves the western culture and is the pastor at Lonesome Dove Cowboy Church, where he will always be sporting a 5-inch felt or straw hat on any given Sunday. It’s his lifestyle. As much as I love sitting at my kitchen table, designing hats to my likings, the dream is to give that to my community. I want the customer to have the experience of being creative in making their hat to meet the need of their lifestyle. From cowboys and cowgirls to ladies and gentlemen, Collier Custom Hats will offer a hat for everyone.”
Something Nunnelley deals with often is people saying, “Hats look dumb on me” or ‘I can’t wear them.” She said Collier Custom Hats has a mission to change that thinking.
“The reason people say this is because they have walked in a store, put one on, looked in the mirror and weren’t happy at what they saw,” Nunnelley said. “Why you might ask? Because it wasn’t their hat. They didn’t design the hat to their liking, experience, and making the hat didn’t meet their personality and lifestyle where the hat would showcase them as an individual. Collier Custom Hats’ goal is to change this thinking and empower our customers to express themselves – just wear the hat cause you know you’ll be turning heads with the confidence your hat gives you. It’s your hat, made for you. You wear it proudly.”
If you ask what her favorite thing is, Nunnelley says, “Seeing someone wear my hat out, smiling and feeling like a million bucks.”
“I love seeing people smile and have confidence in themselves,” Nunnelley said. “God tells us to love one another (John 15:12). I feel like this is my calling to show his love to others by showing his love, and selling them a hat that makes them smile. I also love meeting new friends and sharing life together. God has blessed my family and I so much in just a few short months through this business, meeting so many empowering people and sharing our love for hats with each other. I want our customers to know you’re not just a customer to us but our friend. I am very excited to embark on this hat business wide open in hopes of meeting so many more friends and giving a smile from a hat. Hat enthusiasm is guaranteed.”
If you are looking to order a Collier Custom Hats, they also have a mobile location.
“We are a brand new business in the public eye and always looking for an opportunity to showcase our hats,” Nunnelley said. “I will be locally in Cullman and surrounding areas in the next few weeks. I want to offer my custom hat experience to all events ranging from festivals, small parties, weddings and so much more.”
See Collier Custom Hats on Instagram or contact Nunnelley directly at 256-339-5315.
“Wear the hat, stand tall and be confident!” she smiled.
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