In 1834 Giuseppe Borsalino was born in Alessandria. When he was 13 he became an apprentice to a famous hatter. After his apprenticeship, he decided to go to Paris and study hat making at the Berteil hat factory specializing in hats for European nobility. In Paris he learned to make hats from beaver felt and obtained a hatter’s certificate required to start a business.
His vision was to return to Italy and become a hat master. In 1857, at the age of 23 Giuseppe Borsalino started a small hat shop that would conquer the world. His shop was located in Alessandria. His specialty was the first industrial workshop for the exclusive production of felt hats.
