The Fitted Diaries: Collectors Corner with Dionic Danny

For most of us in the fitted community, the ultimate goal is to one day create your own 59Fifty; not in the sense of the generic offereings of NewEraCap.com in it's customization opportunities, but to 100% make a fitted the way you'd like it to look, with your logos and designs. That may be one of the more unlikely goals for many, but for one it has come to fruition.

Today, we feature a collector and designer from The Netherlands. Dionic Danny, as he is known in the New Era world, has been dropping jaws with his classic artwork for some time now. After you really take a minute to fully absorb the simplistic glory of his work via the fitted, we may all begin to refer to him as the true Dutch Master.

TFD: What is your name and where are you from?

DD: Hi. My name is Danny and I'm from Almere, in The Netherlands.

TFD: What size New Era Cap do you wear?

DD: My fitted size is 7 1/2

TFD: How long have you been collecting fitted caps?

DD: I ordered my first New Era cap on March 26th, 2011 (Thank you PayPal history!), so I've been collecting for three years, now.

TFD: What is the fitted culture like in The Netherlands?

DD: Plain. It's dominated by simple sports caps. That's why I like entertainment caps and all-over caps, because when I wear those I know I stand out from the crowd.

TFD: You're an artist. What originally sparked your interest in puting designs on New Era 59Fifty caps?

DD: I never really had a medium to put my designs out into the world. When I got into collecting 59Fifty caps, it became a dream to have one of those caps with one of my designs on it!

TFD: You are the creator of the now renowned "Fire Ant" and "Octo" caps. What was the inspiration behind those?

DD: "Octo" was the first because I've always had a sort of fascination with tentacles; they're easy to identify when you think of symbols/silhouettes.

The "Fire Ant" was just me having a bit of fun thinking of what could look cool on a cap!

TFD: Will there ever be any re-productions of those, for sale?

DD: I've got an alternate "Octo" in my queue as well as three new "Fire Ant" caps; one alternate colorway, one alternate design, and one variant.

TFD: What is the next step for you in fitted design?

DD: More designs! I have a few caps planned out; only one of those is a re-run (but a different colorway). So, if you manage to get a cap I designed, you'll be sure to know it's a collectors item, due to the extremely limited availability.

TFD: What is your favorite fitted cap of all time?

DD: Wow, that is a great question. After thinking about 15 minutes and trying to come up with an answer, I just have to say that I honestly can't pick a favorite. There are just so many great fitteds out there, that are great for various reasons.

TFD: Do you have a favorite shop that you would call your "go-to" for all your fitted needs?

DD: Not really. I do a lot of my purchasing on eBay, because I have family in America that is always helping me out with that stuff; this way, I can get caps that aren't available here, and even save a few bucks. In The Netherlands, you can always go to a Go-Britain store to pick up a fresh sports fitted.

TFD: Is there a "holy grail", in terms of a cap you can't find but absolutely need?

DD: Yeah. I have a few, actually. Top 3 are the TRON Legacy Helmet, TRON Legacy all-over sketch, and the Alice In Wonderland all-over sketch. I already own the Thor, Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises sketch caps, so I'd love to get the other two, as well.

TFD: What, to you, makes your collection great?

DD: The all-overs set it apart from most collections you'd find. That, and the caps I designed myself, of course! It always reminds me of the community that has always supported me. Without the community, I wouldn't have made it past the "Octo" design!