Lexi Whaley is making cowboy hats chic

Arête sat down with Lexi Whaley, the Founder & CEO of War on Sanity and ZANDRIA, for an exclusive interview about her creative journey and to learn where her passion for cowboy hats began.

Who is Lexi Whaley? 

Lexi is a lot of energy and a lot of focus. I grew up in Sacramento in the agricultural heaven. My parents had 6 dogs…and cats – we had a full house. Growing up, I was very artistic and did lots of musical theater. I also come from a long lineage of strong women. My mom has an interior design business and my aunt is a real estate mogul. I’ve taken clues from all of them. They led me to believe that I could pursue War on Sanity full time. 

Did you always love cowboy hats? When did this interest develop and where did it come from? 

When I would stay with my grandparents in Lake Tahoe, Western movies were always rolling. My grandpa always had the cowboy look: boots, belt, hat. However, cowboy music was not playing, they preferred Frank Sinatra. Their twist gave me a different definition of cowboy. 

However, my real interest did not develop until I was planning a bachelorette party for my friend and was looking online for something beautiful, but I could only find cheap items. I had already started my journey with War on Sanity but had no products – I was curating a vibe and a page. That was the turning point for me, and I made the first cowboy hat.

My friend still has the cowboy hat! That cowboy hat was made off of one ribbon of crystal. I cut hundreds of pieces of crystal and cut it all over the edge. This was right at the beginning of 2021. It was before fringe existed – it took a month to make and hundreds of hours. Now, it takes about an hour to make that hat!

Can you walk us through the early days of building War on Sanity? What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? 

The early days of working in the film industry and building War on Sanity was a beast of a time suck. Finding the energy to go home and make hats at the end of the day after everything was exhausting. Though I always loved creating, the administrative part was super exhausting to me. Getting all the administrative pieces in line was really challenging. 

The first AHA! moment was when my friend, who had a swim company, was invited to do a runway show at Miami Swim. I made the second batch of cowboy hats, including the American Spirit hat. Participating in Miami Swim is what launched me into creating an entire website and scaling the company. 

Lexi Whaley (left) and her friend at Miami Swim

The American Spirit cowboy hat, handmade by Lexi Whaley

Were there any specific moments or experiences that stand out as highlights in your journey of establishing and growing War on Sanity? 

Miami Swim was my first big moment. I am now in the middle of my second moment. I want War on Sanity to be in more retailers! Everything is made to order, which is much better for the environment.

I launched a second brand called Zandria – this will be the face of the sales division and is a bit more approachable.

War on Sanity has a unique aesthetic. Can you tell us about the creative influences and inspirations that shape your designs? 

I am obsessed with making people feel something and shifting their perspective. The vibe is edgy, weird, and funny – that is the inspiration. Some artists I really love: Ashley Longshore. I love Florence and the Machine and the freedom she emulates.  Jeremy Scott and Moschino – How Jeremy approaches design is similar to mine.  I admire Iris van Herpen and the architectural intricacies of her work. Michael Donovan is another photographer who captures women in the world in a beautiful and sexy way. Praying is a brand that is so iconic: “father, son, holy spirit” bikini and “God’s Favorite” tops. I get a lot of inspiration from them. Anything that is chaotic is a creative influence.

Can you share a memorable or exclusive story related to the creation of one of your signature pieces or collections? 

When I thought of the name in college, I intended for it to be a dance company that would throw galas for nonprofits. 

Is there a pivot into dance for War on Sanity? Probably not, but if you take away the dance part, I’ve kept pieces of the original vision. I’ve hosted four events and had a gallery that I opened for a month. It was all about raising money for nonprofits. 

Can you tell us more about the mission of War on Sanity? 

Goal has been to be an “American Made” company. I want to know what is happening with what I’m creating. As far as nonprofits go, I’ve worked with three, and my favorites have been for children in arts and Angel City Pitbulls. There was an awesome program where they would let prisoners take care of dogs and they would go up for adoption after being trained. When the prisoners got out of prison, they would come back and work for the nonprofit. I want to change the way people see themselves and how they see themselves in the world.

The Exodus Road is the other nonprofit we worked with and they are the black ops of human trafficking. They use AI to locate where human trafficking is happening. Anyone can take their courses online and detect when someone is being trafficked. They not only take care of people before but also have a great after care program. 

How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your creative vision and meeting the demands of the market? 

That has been a question at the top of my mind. I’m not willing to sacrifice my vision for War on Sanity, but I can shift the direction for market demands. I think Zandria will create the ability for us to appeal to more people. Zandria will allow us to expand but War on Sanity will remain this crazy brand. 

Tell us more about Zandria! This is short for my full name, Alexandria. This will be the wholesale division of the brand. This will be the foot forward for delivering to retailers. I am reaching for bridal shops. I’ve seen and think there are a lot of people who would want to wear cowboy hats for weddings and events around the wedding. There are a lot of events around the bridal time in people’s lives. Zandria is artistically intricate and tailored to these types of moments.

In your opinion, what sets War on Sanity apart from others in the industry? 

War on Sanity hats are comfortable, durable, creative, artistic, and craftsman quality. They are set apart from other cowboy hats because War on Sanity takes a creative approach to the classic cowboy hat. It is a blank canvas and I can do so much on the hard canvas. I love being able to paint and create. 

What do you believe is the most rewarding aspect of being a designer and entrepreneur? 

Having the control and holding the steering wheel to your own ship is terrifying but comes with the joy of collaboration. “When you sleep, nobody is steering the ship,” but I love being able to bring other people on this journey with me.

Can you share any challenges or obstacles you faced in building your company and how you overcame them? 

This economy is extremely challenging, and choosing to go wholesale and getting into retailers is how I’m pivoting. I understand my hats are not cheap, but people understand the value when they try them on.

As a designer, how do you stay updated on industry trends, and how do you incorporate them into your work? 

I spend a lot of time on Instagram. Tiktok is not my favorite format – Instagram is how I digest inspiration. I get a lot of inspiration from architecture and people I follow. I see a wedding venue and then think how I can make a hat that matches that energy. I pick inspiration from a lot of places around me. Seeing what others are doing fuels what I do.

Can you share an anecdote about a particularly memorable collaboration or partnership War on Sanity has been a part of? 

Haley and Emily Ferguson were the loveliest girls I worked with. They would not accept products as promotion, and that really helped. Now they are both married!

There are some cards on the table for future collaborations with Zandria. 

Haley and Emily Ferguson wearing the American Spirit cowboy hat

Looking ahead, what are your plans and aspirations for the future of War on Sanity and Zandria? 

I have huge aspirations for War on Sanity and think it can become an artisan marketplace for designers. I want to turn it into a place where we can collaborate. I want to house a few other designers under the War on Sanity umbrella.

Can you highlight a specific moment or achievement in your career that you are particularly proud of? 

One experience that I love and find inspiring is working in popups and parties where I create custom hats for people.  The excitement of designing alongside these individuals is really fun. I will be coming to New York in early 2024. 

What advice do you have for aspiring designers or entrepreneurs? 

My advice is to take your time finding your voice in the world of chatter. Being authentic in what you  create will be your saving grace. Find mentors and be a mentor. Even though there are setbacks, they always come with teachable moments, and having mentors will be your saving grace. Also, whatever you do, make it in the US! Using overseas resources has negative impacts, and you can give the people in your community an opportunity to work for something you believe in. 

Who are some of your greatest mentors? 

My parents are my mentors. They are fabulous business people and are hugely insightful. My friend who runs Almost Nakey is another mentor I look up to. Reading and finding books that give a good perspective on how to approach business are also a source of mentorship.

Finally, what, in your opinion, is the best part of building and growing War on Sanity? 

The best part has been the people I met along the way. I’m so grateful for everyone who inspires me. 

What are your fashion green and red flags? Do you have any fashion regrets?

Green flags: one of a kind or custom pieces. I want to know that nobody else will have it. Vintage materials are a green flag. Things used to be made with better quality. 

Red flag: large price, low quality = red flag. Mass produced is a red flag.

Fashion regrets: I wore a lot of babydoll tops with t-shirts underneath and bermuda shorts. Now it’s crazy to me that this is all back.