On May 9th, we celebrated 59FIFTY Day and to pay tribute to the legendary model and its maker, New Era, we did something a little different for this month’s size? collections. We took the trip across the Channel to France and met up with collector, Andre Joao (@1920_addict_), who has an impressive assortment of caps and unique memorabilia that we couldn’t wait to take a look at. Prepare to be impressed.
Originally from Portugal and now based in France, Andre has been collecting New Era for around 13 years. In that time, he’s managed to gather an impressive collection from the brand – to “keep his conscience in check”, Andre doesn’t keep count but believes he has in the region of 1100 to 1200 fitted caps and between 50 and 60 snapbacks. But what started it all you ask? He told us that he “was drawn in by his passion for the hip hop and rap music videos” that he watched as a child, where his favourite artists wore hats he could only “dream about owning”. Music is an integral factor in Andre’s life and the fact New Era are so intertwined with music cemented his passion for collecting.
About 95% of the collection is made up of 59FIFTY designs, for Andre, this silhouette stands out from the rest due to its iconic shape and the sheer amount of collabs it has been the subject of. The first cap Andre ever bought from New Era was a 59FIFTY Atlanta Braves model, which unfortunately is no longer in the collection. Something that is in the collection, however, is an older design that was made for 59FIFTY Day; this deadstock model has never been worn, comes complete with tags, and is housed in a special edition box that even has a mirror inside so you can see how it looks on you.
Another stand-out for Andre is the ‘Soul Capture’ 59FIFTY – this particular piece was limited to 3000 copies and he managed to secure number 1015. The white leather cap arrived in a laser-etched wooden box and came with special New Era felt pens with the idea that you capture your creativity on the blank canvas. Andre knew he needed to do something unique for such a rare collector’s item, so he sent it to a UK-based artist to customise – we think the results speak for themselves. Wow.
Collecting New Era is a chance to come together with other like-minded people for Andre, his Instagram account @1920_addict_ offers a platform where he can share his collection and connect with other enthusiasts. Although there aren’t many collectors in France and Portugal, Andre has managed to meet others across the world via social media. Based in the USA, the ‘Team Fitted’ community has around 600-700 members globally who help each other with their collections without making a profit. Thanks to this collective and Germany-based ‘Cap Addicts’, Andre tells us he has “never had to travel to secure a part of his collection, as there is always a way to find something with the help from a global network”.
It’s not all headwear, Andre has a cabinet full of hard-to-find accessories – or how we see it, a trove brimming with treasures. Upon further inspection, we found baseball bats, books, magnets, golf balls, a Rubix Cube… Honestly, the list is endless. When asked to choose a favourite item, Andre opted for the barbecue set, he states “This piece was exclusive to the New York office – I might be the only collector with one!”.
With a collection so vast and ever-growing, it’s only natural to wonder where might this be going – Andre told us that his goal for the future is “to turn the collection into a museum with a dedicated room to showcase all his curated caps and memorabilia”. As soon as it opens, we’ll be the first to visit!
Discover more size? collections on our blog or add to your own New Era collection right here.
