ABOUT CHAPEAU
My journey with the hat
Hello! I’m Kim Or Azulay, and if there’s one thing I can say with complete confidence – the hat is not just an accessory for me , it’s an integral part of who I am. My journey with the hat began at such a young age that I can’t even explain why – it’s just a part of me, like breathing.
My mother dressed me in a hat from a young age, not necessarily wide-brimmed or anything dramatic, but it was always there. And ever since I can remember, the hat has been my way of saying to the world – "I'm here, I'm different, and I'm not afraid of it."
Diversity as a life choice
I've always liked to do things that other people haven't done. If there's a trend somewhere, you probably won't find me there - I just can't seem to be like everyone else. It doesn't come from a place of wanting attention or being provocative, it comes from a much deeper place - the need to be true to who I really am.
As an actress, host, and content creator with over 635K followers on Instagram (@kimorazulay) , I understand the power of influence. But the hat has always been there before the publicity, before the hype, before everything. It's my way of defining myself, not fitting in with the herd.
From dream to reality – creating the brand
I launched my first hat line at the age of 14, and even then I knew there was something bigger than a small business here. A hat is not an item you wear instinctively like it used to be – it is a conscious choice, a statement about who you are.
CHAPEAU was born from a deep understanding that in an era where everything looks the same, the hat makes a difference. Nostalgia burns within us, we miss the past, and it's time to take the most beautiful part of the past and bring it to the present.
The philosophy behind the brand
I don't want the message to be that the hat is there to set you apart so that you can be seen, but because of the confidence it gives. The hat makes me characterize myself, it makes me feel that I am different, that I am different, that I distinguish myself from the crowd – and more so from within, because of what it makes me feel.
People don't recognize me without the hat. It blends in but gives an element of difference. When you buy a hat, it dictates the entire look – there are stages to hats, and each hat connects to who you are.
The business and social goal
I am a gutsy actress who lives it every moment of my life and works hard, and that's how I am with my brand. My mission is to make the hat a legitimate consumer product, establish the brand as an Israeli-international premium, and educate the market regarding prices and consumption of an accessory like a hat.
I want the customer to see the hat as a shield, a crown, a piece of jewelry. Even girls who don't feel comfortable wearing a hat in Israel or abroad will wear one here, to invest in Israel as they do abroad, to feel comfortable doing whatever they want.
Accessible luxury – our concept
I believe in accessible luxury. I want the branding to be high-end and prestigious, for the brand to stand on its own merits, for the experience to be prestigious but not too expensive. Coming from a place of quality, high, class – but still looking into the eyes.
I'm looking for the audience that understands quality, doesn't need the pose and wants to be part of a community that understands. When you sell something that's inaccessible – it doesn't last. I don't want to do sales because I believe that's strength – you can create a club member.
The social message
I want to convey a message of normalization – "What so?" So what if they look at you? I want the visibility to be high and fancy but the tone to be accessible.
I strive to get girls to collect lots of hats, because every hat connects to who you are. In an era where everyone looks the same, a hat makes a difference – and that's beautiful, that's important, that's necessary.
The future
The journey is just beginning. I want CHAPEAU to be not just a hat brand, but a symbol of the courage to be different, of the right to express yourself and stand out. I want every woman to feel the inner strength that a hat gives, the self-confidence and the freedom to be who she really is.
Because in the end, the hat is not what we wear – it is who we are.
Kim Or Azulay
Founder of CHAPEAU
