Today marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, which in Chinese tradition is all about action, boldness, and taking on new challenges.
And what better way to celebrate a year that should be full of red hot, blazing energy than with a hand-crafted cowboy hat from Stetson?
The color? Red, of course.
The company, started by John Batterson Stetson in 1865, invented the cowboy hat. Today, it’s still known for embracing the spirit of the West with its quality hats, boots, and outerwear.
And to mark the year of intensity, which hasn’t happened in 60 years, the brand is partnering with Gold House to turn an iconic cultural item—the cowboy hat—into a modern-day crown fit for 2026.
A good year to celebrate and support Asian-Pacific founders
The partnership is all for a good cause, too. The one-of-a-kind hat, handcrafted in Texas, will be auctioned off (specific details about the auction are forthcoming), with all funds going directly to the Gold House Foundation in order to further the nonprofit’s work in supporting Asian-Pacific culture and entrepreneurs.
“Celebrating while redefining our most storied beliefs, symbols, and rituals is core to Gold House,” Bing Chen, CEO of Gold House, said in a statement shared with Fast Company. “We are honored to partner with Stetson—an originator—to re-honor who created and who gets to wear the United States’ most pronounced crown—the cowboy hat—for the Year of the Fire Horse.”
Given that this year is also America’s 250th birthday, celebrating Asian-Pacific culture makes sense. While history often fails to mention it, America’s pivotal Transcontinental Railroad was primarily built by Chinese laborers. Its construction inevitably led to the Gold Rush of the late 1840s and early 1850s that kick-started America’s economic boom.
The Stetson-Gold House hat is mostly bright red, but it features a gold horse and gold trim meant to honor those contributions.
While cowboy culture and fashion will forever be relevant in America, this partnership is a timely reminder that it’s also ever-important to revisit our country’s true history, especially the pieces and people who are far too often left out of history books. Hats off to that.