The Original Crown
The Original Crown is the first thing Paper Planes ever made, and it is still the thing the brand is known for. A New Era 9Fifty snapback carrying the folded flag on the front panel, in continuous production since 2014.
That continuity is the point. Streetwear runs on drops that vanish, and most of what any brand made a decade ago is gone. The Crown is not a drop. It is the piece the whole catalogue grew outward from, and the reason the brand's headwear line exists at all.
It is also, in practical terms, the Paper Planes product you are most likely to find in person. Colourways rotate constantly, seasonal palettes, city editions, collaboration runs, but the silhouette underneath never changes, so independent shops stock it as a staple rather than as a gamble.
Why it is called a Crown
The name was deliberate from day one. Co-founder Emory Jones:
"That's why we name the hat crowns from the door. We want you to feel important because you got this crown on."
That is the whole product brief in one sentence, and it explains why the brand treats headwear as its centre of gravity rather than as an accessory line.
There is a second piece of history worth knowing. Early on, you could not buy one:
"We went through that phase where you only could get it if we gave it to you. We could have sold a million hats then. The roll-out of the hat was flawless, because when you saw somebody else, especially outside of New York, if you ran into somebody with the hat, you'd be thinking: damn, who do they know?"
The Crown was a signal before it was a product. The full story of the hat you couldn't buy →
What it is
A 9Fifty: New Era's structured six-panel snapback. Flat brim, high crown, a plastic snap closure at the back that adjusts across roughly seven inches, so it is one-size and fits most adults without measurement.
The plane on the front is embroidered rather than printed. On many releases it is raised 3D embroidery, which is the detail that separates the real thing from a copy at arm's length.
Colourways and how they work
Colourways are variants of one product, not separate products. That matters for finding what you want: a black Crown with a green undervisor and a black Crown with a grey undervisor are the same hat in two finishes, and they live on one page with options rather than as two competing pages.
Recurring families:
- Core, black, white, stone, navy. Always available in some form.
- City editions, the NYC colourway among them, with contrast stitching and a pin on the crown. These carry local intent and link to the New York borough pages.
- Seasonal palettes, released and retired on a season cycle.
- Collaboration runs, small allocations, usually gone quickly.
Sizing
One size, adjustable. If you want something closer to the head with no closure at the back, that is a fitted and it needs your crown measurement, see how to measure and the New Era fit comparison.
Care
The crown is structured and will hold its shape unless you crush it. Do not machine wash it: spot-clean the panels, keep the brim flat, and store it upright rather than under other things. Full detail in how to clean a wool cap.
Where to find one
The Crown is the most consistently stocked Paper Planes piece across the independent network, 63 shops in 21 states, plus the SoHo flagship. Choosing between the snapback, the fitted and the A-Frame, and landing the right size, is walked through in the Original Crown buyer's guide.
Find a stockist near you → · Verify an authorized retailer →
FAQ
What is the Paper Planes Original Crown?
The founding Paper Planes product: a New Era 9Fifty snapback carrying the folded paper plane mark, in continuous production since the brand launched in 2014.
Is the Original Crown a fitted or a snapback?
A snapback. It has a plastic snap closure at the back and is one-size adjustable. Fitted versions of Paper Planes headwear use the 59Fifty silhouette.
Does the Original Crown come in different colours?
Yes. Colourways rotate through core, seasonal, city-edition and collaboration runs, but the silhouette stays the same.
Is the Original Crown made by New Era?
The 9Fifty silhouette is New Era's. Paper Planes produces the Crown on it in partnership with them.
Quotes from Emory Jones on Boardroom Talks with Rich Kleiman, also on YouTube.