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I grew up on a high country station in the South of New Zealand, running merino sheep, cattle and goats.
We had plenty of what we call "tussock time" in the high altitude snow tussocks (which were once taller than me), breathing in the mountain air and building wild dreams from baling twine and Number 8 wire.
But Bar M didn’t truly kick off until I found myself cowboying at the GANG RANCH in the wilderness of British Columbia, Canada.
Long days in the saddle, pushing cattle through rugged mountains and huge valleys, searching for the next meadow hidden within the trees.
And quiet nights at cow camp braiding gear by firelight.
No WiFi.
No phone signal.
Just me, the cowboy crew, our horses (and the odd bear, mountain lion or coyote playing around camp), and whatever I could make with my hands.
Bar M was born out there—in the dirt and dust, the grit, the solitude.
What started as a few handmade pieces around the campfire turned into a full-blown obsession with *quality gear* that means something.
This isn’t just a business.
It’s a way of life. And it’s stitched, steamed, and
shaped into everything I make.
BAR M STARTED WITH A ROPE HALTER AND A WHOLE LOT OF GET-IT-DONE
First came the tack, then the hats
I didn't started Bar M with hats in mind (even though I've always loved them). In the beginning, it was all about making tack that actually held up—halters, bridles, gear tough enough to handle real horses and jobs, not just look cute online.
For four years, I built the tack side of Bar M from the ground up. Testing it, tweaking it, and putting it to work. Every new design had to pass the paddock test, and real hard work before it ever got released. It had to work.
I KNEW IT WAS TIME TO BRING ANOTHER DREAM TO LIFE
So I did what any stubborn Kiwi cowgirl would do
I got all the tools, started making contacts and forming relationships with mentors, I got on a plane and headed straight to Colorado to learn from some of the best in the business of hat shaping!
I studied the craft burnt my fingers many times, asked the dumb questions and the right questions, shaped and steamed all day, and soaked up everything I could bout building and fitting real-deal cowboy hats.
THINK: high-end materials. One-off designs.
A little grit and a lot of personality.
Turns out people wanted more than a hat that just looked good. They wanted high quality, and one that *actually* fits them.
REAL GRIT. REAL GRACE. AND A WHOLE LOTTA FUN.
STARTED WITH A STORY, AND A PROMISE
When the side hustle turned
full throttle...
I was tired of seeing cowboy hats that didn't fit and tack that didn't last. Tired of mass-produced gear that looked the part but couldn't hack it in the yards or the mirror. And I figured if I was frustrated, other people probably were too.
So I did what most stubborn, horse-raised, grit-soaked Kiwi girls do.
I got to work.
I started shaping hats on my kitchen table and building halters that didn't just look good, they worked. Slowly but surely, people started to notice. Not just the gear, but the difference it made to have something that actually fit—your horse, your head, and your story.
That's when Bar M became more than a side hustle.
HANDMADE. HARD-EARNED. HELL YES.
This ain't mass produced
At Bar M, handmade means something.
No assembly lines.
No shortcuts.
Just real tools, raw materials, and hands that know the work.
Every hater, every hat that gets shaped, every burn from the steam or the rope cutter, blister that turns into a callous—it's all done right here, by me. One piece at a time. No two ever exactly the same, because no two people are either. We are different—lets embrace it!
It's slower than a factory. Tougher. A bit messier (my partner and mum would say a lot!)
But that's the point.
Because when you wear or use something made by hand, you're not just buying gear or a hat—you're carrying a story.
The gear that
PUT US ON THE MAP
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CUSTOM COWBOY HATS
THIS IS FOR THE RIDE-OR-DIES, NOT THE MAYBE-LATERS
Bar M is for the wild ones
We are for the people who chase sunrises and clean mud out of their hair, not just their boots and jeans.
For the horse gals with day jobs, or the blokes who know a good hat isn't just a trend, it's a tool.
Whether you life life on a station or ranch, or just feel like you should've we're here for the ones who want more than just off the shelf.
They want real-deal, made to fit and for more than just to look good.
THIS BRAND'S GOT BACKBONE
Our values aren't just buzzwords
They're the way we work, and the reason we've grown big. At Bar M, we're all about:
GRIT - that quiet relentless drive to show up and get it done, and to stand up to anything life throws our (or it's) way.
GRACE - showing up with kindness and backbone, even when it's hard. A soft beauty that shows true strength.
QUALITY - no shortcuts. No crap. Just good gear that lasts.
INTEGRITY - what we say is what we do. Simple as that.
INNOVATION - if it doesn't exist yet, we'll find a way to make it.
Bar M is built on the cowboy way—and that spirit lives on through everything we do.
THE NEXT CHAPTER DOESN'T GIVE YOU A RE-RUN
So, you ready to back into the box and nod your head?
You can shop the range, start your custom order, or book a workshop and we design your hat together.
Not quite ready to dive in yet? No worries—join the email list and be the first to hear when custom orders open, new products drop, or we hit the road for an event near you.
Either way, this ain't just another brand.
It's your next chapter—hand shaped, horse-tough, and built to last.
