Panama hat mountain range. Hat weaving and wearing grew steadily in Ecuador through the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1835, Manuel Alfaro, a man who in many ways can be considered the grandfather of the Panama hat, arrived in Montecristi to make his name and fortune in Panama hats. He set up a Panama hat business with his main objective being exportation. Cargo ships from Guayaquil and Manta were filled with his merchandise and headed to the Gulf of Panama. His business prospered as more and more Gold Rush prospectors arrived and passed through Panama needing a hat for the sun. One
Hats (album) to Buchanan, "we knew exactly what we were doing. We actually recorded the rest of "Hats" super quick ... Honestly, half of "Hats" was, like, a week." In a 2012 interview with ClashMusic.com, Buchanan reflected on the time lost trying to make the album: The album was released in October 1989 simultaneously in both the UK and the US: since The Blue Nile was essentially unknown in the United States in 1989, the cover artwork for the US release of "Hats" was slightly modified for marketing reasons, with the band's name in larger letters. As a promotional tool, A&M Records—who