Trapper hats – those big furry hats with the ear flaps – have been knocking about for literally centuries. Not dissimilar to the Ushanka from Russia and the Balkans, the trapper has been worn by everyone from American fur traders to European military pilots in open-cockpit planes. But then, fast forward to the 2000s and early 2010s, and the hat also inexplicably became an indie sleaze staple in the UK and US. It was the sort of hat you’d see someone wearing in a flash-on party candid in a Facebook album, paired with neon shutter shades while throwing up a peace sign. Very Chris from Skins, very “someone at an Uffie album launch party”.

Now, it seems, the furry trapper is experiencing yet another life. On the streets of New York during fashion week, no less, where the classic accessory has become the go-to headwear for off-duty models and New York cool girls alike. It’s easy to see why: the trapper keeps your head warm during a cold snap, and New York is pretty icy at this time of year. But also, this new wave of trapper wearing probably speaks to a much wider obsession with all things fur (whether faux or vintage), fluff and fuzz among the fashion crowd. See also: every single coat snapped at fashion week.

We should have seen it coming, really. Oversized fur hats have been all over the runways in recent seasons. See: the ginormous faux-fur trapper hats that featured in Burberry’s 2024 resort collection, or the mega-sized furry headwear on the autumn/winter 2024 runway at Dsquared2. The trapper even made an appearance at Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2024 menswear show, with a sort of militarised twist.

Indeed, if the furry bucket hat is still every A-listers favoured winter headwear, the trapper hat is like its weirder, more fashion-forward older sister. The accessory makes a bold statement while also, most importantly, keeping those ears snug and warm.