Americana & Western Fashion Weekly

1. Vogel revives Paul Newman’s roper boot

Vogel has introduced a limited-edition Paul Newman Roper Boot, based directly on boots the company made for Newman during the 1980s. The $2,500 boots are handcrafted in the United States, produced individually to order and offered in sizes 6–12. Sales support the Newman’s Own Foundation.

Worth following: Vogel NYC and creative director Craig Arthur von Schroeder.

2. Big Tex becomes a showcase for Texas Western brands

Cavender’s Boot City will become the official Western-wear partner of Big Tex for the 2026 State Fair of Texas. Cavender’s is creating his new shirt, Resistol is producing a 95-gallon cowboy hat, and Lucchese will continue making his size-96 boots. The boot design comes from contest winner Aaliyah McNeal. The complete outfit will debut when the fair opens on September 25.

It is also an example of experiential heritage marketing: Cavender’s, Resistol and Lucchese are associating themselves with a cultural institution rather than simply buying conventional advertising.

3. Josh Tafoya is the designer to watch

Taos-based designer and weaver Josh Tafoya received Cooper Hewitt’s 2026 National Design Award for Fashion Design. His work combines traditional Rio Grande weaving with experience in New York fashion and draws upon his Genízaro, Spanish and Chicano heritage to reconsider what “Southwestern” and American fashion can represent.

His practice is particularly relevant because he produces specialty clothing and woven goods rather than merely applying Western graphics to conventional garments. His current site includes Spring/Summer 2026 and Fall/Winter 2025–26 collections.

Profiles: Website, @josh_tafoya_ on Instagram.

4. Jerry Lee Atwood’s Cowboy Couture exhibition is closing

The Eiteljorg Museum’s first solo exhibition devoted to Jerry Lee Atwood, founder of Union Western Clothing, closes on August 2. It presents his chain-stitched, rhinestone-embellished Western suits alongside historic influences including Nudie Cohn and Manuel Cuevas. Atwood’s clients have included Post Malone, Lil Nas X, Orville Peck, Charley Crockett and Nikki Lane.

The museum reports that an individual suit can require approximately 120 hours of design and construction and cost between $2,500 and $8,000, depending on materials and embroidery density.

Profiles: Union Western Clothing, @unionwesternclothing, and Atwood’s @hoosierbuilt.

5. Maker discovery: Morgan Buckert Custom Boots

Morgan Buckert makes bespoke cowboy boots in Idaho using individually developed patterns, traditional construction methods and vintage machinery. The Western Folklife Center describes her work as combining established bootmaking practice with a detailed understanding of Western places, landscapes and communities.

Profiles: Website and @morganbuckertcustomboots.

6. Commercial calendar: WESA’s August trade show

The next WESA Western and English Apparel & Equipment Market will run August 18–21, 2026, at Dallas Market Center. WESA describes its markets as a single sourcing venue representing more than 550 product lines and attracting thousands of retailers annually.

7. Southwestern craft crossover: Anna Sheffield

A recent profile examines jewelry designer Anna Sheffield’s newer work from her Taos studio. She is expanding beyond conventional fine jewelry into sculptural vessels, bells and carved objects informed by the New Mexico landscape and a slower, material-centered approach to luxury.