a century of experience
Dorfman Milano was founded in 1921 with the concept that retailers would support a headwear business offering quality products backed by a commitment to strong service. Dorfman Milano is successful because of its adherence to this philosophy. Today our mission statement is to provide unsurpassed service and strong brands with a long term commitment to our customers.
Decades of Experience
Since 1988, Scala has established itself as a trendsetting sartorial maven. For men, Scala lends more than function – it always kicks the style and class up a notch. For women, it helps every wearer exude beauty and showcase her unique fashion sense with grace. Scala nods to the designs and sensibilities of the past, without ever allowing itself to
The Standard of Classic Headwear
Scala is not just about hats; it is a lifestyle brand inspired by the finishing touch a well selected hat can bring. The brand’s pieces showcase the evolution of headwear over generations. The result of the tried and tested approach is a collection that is timeless, yet fresh. If vintage is your style, Scala has you covered, but our modern silhouettes also effortlessly bring you to the front of the now.
This creative prowess is paired with impressive design, merchandising, and product development teams that travel the world to source the finest materials to incorporate in our Scala collections. Our parent company, Dorfman Milano, also maintains ownership positions in our worldwide manufacturing facilities ensuring our customers receive the highest quality along with fast production timelines.
Tipping our Hat in honor of our Centennial
Scala is the largest brand in the Dorfman Milano portfolio, which was founded in 1921. Dorfman Milano is humbled to be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2021, and have grown substantially over the generations from their founding in a small 5,000 square foot office in Oakland, California.
For 100 years they have prided themselves on being the largest full-line, in-stock headwear and handbag company in the world. Maintaining offices in both Dallas and the Bay Area, as well as their premier showroom in New York City. We’re grateful that our ingredients of success, delivering quality craftsmanship, and exceptional service, still hold as true today as they did in the beginning.
meet our team
Melissa Madden Brown
lisa deluca
daniela orozco
meet the designers
john callanan
I graduated from NYC’s FIT-Fashion Institute of Technology’s Millinery department in 1984, and I have never tired of introducing American ladies to the fun and mystique of wearing romantic hats. Be it at the beach, a special occasion, or as a protection against the elements, a SCALA hat adds a sense of style and mystery.
After graduating, I initially set up my workshop in NYC, where I have made hats for NYC Opera’s repertoire like Rigoletto (1988), various Broadway shows, and movies such as Working Girl (1988) with Melanie Griffith, Eight Men Out (1988) and it’s stellar ensemble cast, Sommersby (1993) with Richard Gere and Jodi Foster, and The Birdcage (1996) with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane – to name a few!
In 1995, I joined Dorfman Pacific Hat Company (now Dorfman Milano) as their first in-house designer. I have endeavored to use my design experience to design on trend, wearable, and sellable hats.
At SCALA Hats, we know our customer and we design with her in mind. She is understated and chic. I like to design hats that are elegant and timeless, not overly cluttered with excessive trims and ornamentation. I strive for clean silhouettes that enhance the wearer’s confidence and style. A SCALA hat should enhance, not distract, from the wearer’s beauty.
A hat is a very special accessory. It delivers instant glamor. I love that hats can say many things about the wearer from “look at me” to “leave me alone”. What will you say?
bob brown
I have enjoyed a rewarding career, that I sometimes think chose me. After I graduated from FIT in NYC with a B.A. in Textile and Apparel Design, I started as an assistant buyer for the men’s accessories department at B. Altman. That was where I was first introduced to the Mens’ headwear industry. I was amazingly intrigued by headwear production. Three dimensional, beautiful headwear was formed out of what started out looking like fuzzy hoods. Strange straw baskets were made into works of art, of function and fashion.
When B. Altman was sold, I decided to open my own retail store, eventually expanding to four locations around NYC. Running my own business came with certain stresses, and when I started looking for a change, I jumped into a position as VP of Merchandise and Design at Pusser’s in the Caribbean. My attention once again turned to headwear, as many tourists arrived without a hat to protect them from the tropical sun, and went home with 2 new hats!
After a stint as head of Merchandising and Design at Hartmarx in Chicago, I finally dove into the headwear industry completely, and became head of Merchandising, Design, and Re-branding at Dorfman. For 20 years, I have been passionate about reinventing the men’s headwear industry with Dorfman. We incorporate cutting edge technologies into our designs, keeping you protected, bug free, cool, or visible. We give old favorites a new elegance. At Dorfman, function and fashion work in tandem.