Hats Off To Astin Stratoti

Montserrat alum Astin Stratoti (‘18, Interdisciplinary Arts) went viral after one of their creations made a TV appearance atop the head of pro-wrestler Julia Hart. That creation–the “Halo Hat”–has become a sought after item since the All-Elite Wrestling star wore it into the ring.

Astin wearing a Halo Hat photo by Olivia Edvalson

Astin first shared images of their Halo Hat in May, posting them to their Instagram page Sunny Fox Apothecary. The design features a wide-brimmed hat with inset “windows” that evoke stained glass. The design is a partial outgrowth from Astin’s stained glass window earring design, which they combined with the hat as a personal project. Astin offers a number of different designs, all variations on the primary theme, but the style that’s become most familiar is the one worn by Julia Hart.

Julia Hart wearing the hat designed by Astin. Photo by Sadiel Ruiz.

It happened like this: After posting an image of their first Halo Hat on social media, Astin was contacted by a stylist for Julia Hart. They requested a hat for All-Elite Wrestling star and Astin had less than two weeks to turn the product around and get it in the mail, as documented on the Sunny Fox tiktok account. Even with the time pressure, Astin demonstrated a dedicated artist’s attention to detail and even made a custom hatband which included a metal ring resembling a serpent biting its own tail. 

Hart and Hart’s hat made a dramatic entrance, dropping a curtain so that the arena lights could shine through the red acrylic windows of the hat brim. Since the AEW reveal, Astin has received commissions from musical artists and gotten orders from clients as far away as Spain and Australia. Astin is still coming up with other variations of the basic design, including wedding theming and embedded fairy imagery. Julia Hart, meanwhile, is still wearing the hat during her AEW appearances.

Anyone interested in getting on the waitlist for a Halo Hat, or in snagging any of the other sundry pieces Astin creates can check the shop at sunnyfoxapothecary.com or follow along on Instagram or TikTok.