Interview with Kai Lassen

Kai Lassen is a Danish-American model-turned-entrepreneur who recently opened a hat store in Palm Beach. Originally born in Atlanta and raised in Jupiter, Florida Kai grew up modeling before delving into her passion for hats during the pandemic. She first started by opening an Etsy shop which led to the launch of her website Kailassen.com, and eventually to the opening of a showroom and now a full store in Palm Beach. Through her brand, she aims to empower women to embrace their individuality, trust their voice, and go after whatever they dream of—unapologetically.

Growing Up 

Originally born in Atlanta, Georgia, Kai moved to Jupiter, Florida where she grew up. Because her dad is from Denmark and her parents traveled a lot for work, she grew up with some European influence, which impacted the way she approaches the world around her. From an early age, her parents emphasized the importance of experiencing different cultures and understanding different ways of life, which broadened Kai’s world view and “made the world feel full of possibilities,” she said. Kai also started modeling at the age of six, which on the one hand, exposed her to the fashion industry and the diversity within it, but also forced her to grow up earlier than most kids. “Thankfully, the way I was raised made me very street smart and prepared for whatever came my way” Kai explained.

Founding Kai Lassen 

Kai always had a love for hats, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that she found the time to delve deeper into this passion and learn the art. During COVID, she watched videos and read books, teaching herself how to make hats from scratch. Given that her resources were limited during this time, she had to make the best of the situation: “I would cut up old clothes for fabric and first start with inspiration from my closet and jewelry box.”

After COVID, Kai went on to open a showroom in Jupiter, where she displayed and sold her hats for three years before feeling it was time to spread her wings and take the next step by opening a storefront. “It was honestly one of the scariest, yet most exciting, business decisions I’ve ever made,” she shared. 

Kai already had a strong client base in Palm Beach, so moving closer to them felt like a natural evolution, but what really drew her in was The Paramount—a historic space dedicated to small business owners, filled with this special niche of brands that all shared an empowering, creative vibe. “It wasn’t just about opening a storefront—it was about stepping into a space where innovation, collaboration, and creativity thrive.”

Role Models and Inspiration

Starting out, Kai drew inspiration from French-American fashion designer, Nick Foquet, who she describes as “the OG in the bespoke world of hats.” She always admired how he had the vision to think outside the box and elevate hats into a whole new level of creative, wearable art. “His work really showed me that you could blend craftsmanship with individuality in a way that feels both timeless and bold,” she shared. 

Additionally, Kai’s mom was a huge female role model for her, encouraging her to go after her dreams and strive to be the best version of herself. Kai called her mom her “biggest cheerleader,” reminding her that it’s okay to fail, as long as you pick yourself back up and keep going. Her constant encouragement and support gave her the resilience and confidence to chase her passions fearlessly.

Watching her dad successfully run his own company also had a major impact on her journey to entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by hard-working, talented people from an early age taught her the value of dedication, perseverance, and believing in yourself—all things that she describes as essential both in fashion and in building your own business. Finally, her involvement in athletics as a child instilled in her the importance of teamwork, discipline, and a strong work ethic—lessons that have carried over into every part of her career.

Overcoming Challenges

When starting her brand, Kai encountered situations where she felt underestimated or overlooked—something unfortunately common for female founders. She even experienced this in her past relationship, where her ex initially seemed supportive of her hat-making dreams, but as her business started gaining momentum, his attitude shifted. He would make little comments like, “that’s cute, you have your little hobby making hats,” but as things grew and became more serious, he couldn’t handle it. He started making remarks like, “Who’s going to take care of me now?” or “Are you just never going to make me dinner anymore?” As painful as that was, she said it became a major turning point for her: “His actions — and the way he underestimated me—lit a fire inside. It pushed me to move on, fight even harder for my dreams, and never let anyone make me feel small or hold me back again.”

In addition to facing challenges as a woman in business, Kai shared that over the past two years she has experienced some difficult women’s health issues that made it hard for her to balance self care and work. She explained that “going through that while trying to build and grow a business taught [her] a lot about resilience, patience, and the importance of taking care of yourself—both physically and mentally.” Nevertheless, she believes overcoming these challenges has only made her stronger and more determined.

Words of Wisdom

When asked what advice she’d share with her younger self, Kai emphasized the importance of not comparing your own path to that of others, knowing that everyone’s journey and timeline is different and that “failure isn’t a reason to quit; it’s just part of the process.” She encourages younger girls to “stay patient, stay passionate, and never let anyone break your spirit or take away your shine.”

When asked what she believes has helped her succeed as a woman in an industry that hasn’t always made space for female founders, she credits the strong network of women who supported her along her journey as a woman in business. Kai explained, “I’ve never been around so many positive, uplifting people — especially women — who genuinely want to help and love seeing others succeed” and believes having this network was key in her success. 

The Power of the Female Founder

Kai built her “brand around authenticity, creativity, and community,” coming from a place of understanding what it feels like to want to be heard and supported. She believes in women supporting women—lifting each other up through kindness, sharing experiences, and celebrating one another without comparison. By mentoring others and staying approachable, she pays that forward with intention. Her brand challenges traditional ideas that “women have to choose between being creative or being successful, [or] between being nurturing or being strong.” Through her work, she tries to show that “you can be all of those things at once—powerful, creative, compassionate, ambitious—and that you don’t have to fit into anyone’s mold to be successful.” Kai believes that “every hat [she] create[s] [and] every risk [she] take[s] in business, is a reminder that women don’t have to play small or stay in a box someone else built for them.” 

Kai Lassen sticks out from not only Palm Beach brands but brands around the world thanks to her craftsmanship—every hat is made to order, by hand. While she sources her hat bodies from trusted vendors, every hat is blocked, shaped, finished, and detailed personally by Kai and sometimes with the help from her mom who helps with sewing. In closing it all out, Kai left us with this message: “More than anything, I stay true to myself—I don’t follow trends just to fit in. I focus on creating pieces that tell a story and help people express their individuality, and I think that authenticity really resonates with my clients.”