ML Provisions: Creating Exquisite Custom Hats

ml provisions CREATING EXQUISITE, CUSTOM HATS WITH A PERSONALIZED TOUCH WITH A PERSONALIZED TOUCH

Story by Katharyn Privett-Duren

Mary Landrum Pyron’s journey is one born of fate and an adventurous spirit. On April 6th, 2016, this Ole Miss graduate placed her fi rst hat (one made of straw) upon her head and forged into the world as an expedition chef and caterer in Wyoming. One morning, as she stood over roughly twenty pounds of bacon sizzling over an open fi re on that Western Mountain, the smoke began to distress that straw hat with a thick patina. And so, she bought another hat, and then another, until one day it occurred to her: “All I can think about are hats.” Mary Landrum’s passion had taken root, destined to grow into what is now ML Provisions.

Five years later, she returned to her family’s timber farm in Mississippi ready to forge her new life as a custom hatter. Right from the beginning, Mary Landrum knew that she didn’t want to be just another shop on a town square. Rather, her shop resides in the 175-year-old barn on family land, nestled between a pond and a horse pasture. It is, she is quick to note, a destination spot—but more, it is an experience for those folks who are in search of their own handcrafted hat. When asked why she doesn’t ship, Mary Landrum speaks of how very personal this crafting can be: “Some people have broken their nose so many times, it’s no longer a straight line. I want the hat to align the proper way with your features. Also, colors and the nuances of shade just don’t show up correctly on digital media.” Here in her shop, Mary Landrum seams and shapes the raw hat body to her customers’ heads, taking care to involve them in the process.

And there are stories to be spun here.

One of the pieces of equipment she uses is from 1860: weighing in at 1,260 pounds, it is a rare fi nd amongst small hatters. Mary Landrum describes the felting process as a bit like spinning cotton candy, an artistry that creates these 100x rabbit, 50x rabbit/beaver blend, and 100x beaver hats. Each crafting is highly specialized, right down to the accessories. Mary Landrum’s own hat sports a square nail from the old barn, a spur from a bird she hunted in Hawaii, a hand-tied fl y from a friend, and a rattlesnake rattler. As she says: “I’m a really big hunter and I love to cook, so anything I harvest, I’ll also use.”

When pressed, she admitted that any hat without a feather is just bad luck, and encourages her customers to choose one to truly top

Mary Landrum Pyron (opposite) creates custom-made hats in her shop, ML Provisions. Each one is hand-crafted specifically for each customer, and she encourages everyone to top the hat off with a feather. Photos by Gabby Thorton Photography.

it all off. Yet, the personal touch that means the most to her is a tiny stick figure drawn by her father onto her own hat, an image that hails back to the notes he would leave her as a child.

Whether it be a traditional Cattleman crease or a short fashion fedora, ML Provisions starts with an open crown and follows each customer’s vision to the end product. The process is more than worth it, for if you abide by the proper care instructions, these hats can last a lifetime. And while they can be worn to everything from a wedding to a Christmas party, these handcrafted hats can put in a hard day’s work. When asked if it bothered her that one of her creations might get a little dirt and sweat on them, Mary Landrum gave a hearty: “Oh, heck, no! They’re made and meant to be worn, from the farm to nicer functions.” In fact, you won’t find this hatter running around bare headed often: “If you see me without a hat, something’s wrong. I don’t wear a hat to church and I don’t wear one to a wedding unless it’s appropriate.” For the only custom felt-hat maker in Mississippi, that seems fitting.

Even as her work has created so much joy and purpose for her, Mary Landrum likes where she’s landed and does not want to outgrow her shop. Nor does she want to lose sight of why she started, back when her goal was to sell four quality one-of-a-kind hats per month: “If I was only another shop on a town square, it wouldn’t have this experience. When folks bring in their loved one’s personal items for inclusion in this craft, they tell a story. I want to keep the passion of that, the fire for it all.” And while that experience happens primarily in her beloved shop, Mary Landrum does do shows, or pop-ups, where she can shape and design her hats on the spot. These work especially well for bridesmaid luncheons or groomsmen gifts, although ML Provisions is ready to consider other events when needed.

Her sister, Elizabeth, has come in part-time to help in this endeavor, setting folks in the right color and size before they are shaped.

In the end, family and the great state of Mississippi have been the foundation for Mary Landrum’s purpose, work, and dreams.

For now, she is content to spin hats deep within the Hospitality State. While she was hesitant about moving back all those years ago, she’s grateful for the way it all turned out: “If I hadn’t been raised the way I was, if I hadn’t gone to that small high school, if I hadn’t gone to Ole Miss, or if I hadn’t gone out west, I would never be where I am today. Whether this thing lasts for the next ten minutes or the next hundred years, I’m glad I took that chance of starting my business— right there in the midst of Covid. I’m just happy that I get to wake up and do this every day.”

Indeed, so is every customer that walks out of her shop, custom hat in hand.

Whether it be a traditional Cattleman crease or a short fashion fedora, ML Provisions starts with an open crown and follows each customer’s vision to the end product. Pictured are a few of the unique hats Mary Landrum Pyron has created. Photos by Gabby Thorton Photography.

Mary Landrum Pyron makes hats to fit each of her customers. She makes them that way so they fit a person’s features perfectly. She also includes items that are special to each customer, noting that her hat includes a square nail from the old barn, a spur from a bird she hunted in Hawaii, a handtied fly from a friend, and a rattlesnake rattler. Photos by Gabby Thorton Photography.