When Dave Latina started Hypeadelic, he did so with a singular vision: to create something unique from what others had cast aside. Through upcycling vintage clothing, Dave transforms forgotten or damaged materials into wearable art—one-of-a-kind hats that are as much about the process as the finished product.
It wasn’t long before Dave’s skills earned public acclaim, garnering collaborations with a host of brands and artists, such as John Mayer, who can be seen sporting his patchwork creations between shows.
For Dave, upcycling is more than just a creative process: it’s a way of honoring the past while adding his own colorful chapter to the history books.
We're proud to collaborate with him on a capsule collection of fifty hats crafted from vintage, deadstock Taylor Stitch clothing, each one reflecting both Dave’s distinctive style and his artistic philosophy: that nothing is truly finished if you’re willing to reimagine it.
We sat down with Dave to hear stories of his creative journey and dig into what drives him to create hats that have stories of their own to tell.
How did you first get into creating upcycled caps? What was one of your first creations?
I started collecting vintage snapback hats in 2012. After collecting so many of them, I wanted to customize some of them and make them different from anything anyone else had. So I would rip the brim off of the hat and sew a new fabric onto it, and re-attach the brim to the hat. After doing that for years, creating upcycled hats was kind of a natural progression and just seemed like the next step to take. My first ever hat creation was from a vintage L.L. Bean fleece jacket I found at Goodwill.
When it comes to making a cap, what does your creative process look like? Do you begin with a design idea in mind and then source the fabrics, or is it more of a process of discovery led by the fabrics you have on hand?
My creative process is very fluid and led by the materials I come across. You never know what you’re going to find when you walk into a thrift store, and that’s part of what I love about my process. That element of surprise shapes the hats I make. Once it’s time to deconstruct a garment, I usually freestyle the design and make creative decisions as I go. Sometimes, I find myself overthinking designs, going back and forth as to what will look best, but ultimately, I trust the process I’ve been using for years to end up with some really cool finished products.
We love how your caps combine textural elements, graphic prints, and vintage references. What or who do you draw inspiration from?
I just focus on creating pieces that I personally think look cool. I tend to gravitate towards vintage garments with vibrant colors like those found in Coogi sweaters or windbreakers from the 90s. For me, it’s not about trying to impress anyone else; it’s about enjoying the process and trusting my instincts to guide the design. If I’m excited about how something turns out, that’s what matters most to me.
What is one of the coolest, most unique projects or collaborations that you’ve worked on?
Honestly, this collaboration is going to be hard to beat. The variety of fabrics and textures I was given to work with was a lot of fun. The entire collection almost felt like a puzzle I had to solve—using just the right amount of indigos, earth tones, flannels, camos, and other elements to make the collection feel cohesive. This was also my first collaboration where I made 6 panel hats (I’ve been doing exclusively 5 panel hats for almost six years) and incorporated leather straps (shoutout to @Laszlos_leather for making the straps) with metal clasps, which added a new dimension to my process. Overall, it pushed me creatively in ways I hadn’t explored before, making it one of the most unique projects I’ve worked on.
This might be a tough one, but if you had to choose, what is one of your favorite pieces from the TS x Hypeadelic collaboration?
Oh man, that is a tough one! I’m gonna have to name a few here. My top favorite would be the San Francisco map 6 panel with the waxed canvas brim (33/50). After that would be either one of the two duck camo hats (21-22/50), the moon phase hats (12-13/50), and then the patchwork indigo hats (1-4/50).
What’s next for you and Hypeadelic?
To just keep pushing forward and improve with every project. Over the past few years, I’ve been slowly adding new upcycled pieces to my sewing repertoire, like shorts, hoodies, bags, and jackets. While hats remain my main focus, I’m always working to improve my skills and eventually make those other pieces as frequently as I do hats.
I’m also excited to experiment with new creative techniques such as tie-dyeing, screen printing, embroidering, and other mediums that will push boundaries and lead to creating fresh and fun new pieces. With every collaboration comes new opportunities and a fresh set of eyes on my work. The possibilities feel endless, and I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me next.
As an artist committed to both creativity and environmental responsibility, Dave has felt like a kindred spirit from the start, and it’s been our sincere pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with him.
To see more of Dave’s creations, check out the fifty-hat collaboration capsule we created together, and follow Hypeadelic on Instagram to stay on top of all of Dave’s future drops.
