This read looks into a new design project that takes inspiration from one of the greatest bootmakers of our time, Lee Miller, and his incredible work out of Austin, Texas.
Take a look at what bespoke cowboy boots are all about and how I designed my own.
Bespoke shoes can tell stories and are very unique to every wearer. Not only do they fit specifically to your uniquely shaped feet, the choices in materials, colours, and patterns can be representative of your personality and culture. Kirby Allison has a fantastic YouTube series in which he takes us through his bespoke fitting all the way to the finished pair of boots.
The origins of the cowboy boot actually go back hundreds of years when Spaniards brought over the vaquero-style riding boot to the Americas in the 17th century and, later in the 1800s, the boot developed to look a lot more like what we have available today. Bootmakers have taken on their own styles that distinguish their boots from the rest and an iconic example of this is Charlie Dunn's pinched rose design which has been continued by his former intern, Lee Miller, who has built some of his own traditions.
Lee has previously made bespoke boots for his clients that feature inlays of their native flora and this sparked some ideas for me. I wanted my bespoke boots to not only tell my story but also to represent Poland's nature so I began by collating images that help to lay the foundation for the upcoming designs. A background moodboard takes a look into what I call 'home' and what I want to be representing in my boot designs.
Blending my hometown of Golub-Dobrzyń with nature, I showcase the animals and plants that are native to the area. From small butterflies to the enormous European Elk, the boot designs have plenty to take inspiration from.
For an 'everyday' cowboy boot style, rather than strictly formal or strictly workwear, I opted for a medium round toe, deep scallops, and a walking heel. This creates a well-balanced silhouette that can be suitable for taking a casual stroll to the store while having the classic edge that makes the boots appropriate for nicer occasions.
I then explored different ways to incorporate nature into my base silhouette. One way was to sample the colours of the animal or plant and another was to add inlays of them. In my sketch pages, I note down the decisions taken and the key characteristics of each design.
I picked out the top five designs based on their versatility. My wardrobe is made up of t-shirts, button-ups, pearl snap shirts, and wrangler jeans so on a day-to-day basis, my outfit is generally casual; suitable to wear when walking through the Polish countryside but also through the UK's urban capital. These five designs, out of the twenty total, looked the most appropriate for both environments.
Starting from the left, we have the grey boot which features machine-sewn details of Willow Gentians, a beautiful deep blue flower native to the mountainous woodlands of southern Poland. The next design has the same machine-sewn patterns as the previous boot but this instead samples colours from the Ural Owl. The boot in the middle takes inspiration from the Red Squirrel. Sampling reddish colours from the animal and featuring intricate machine-sewn patterns, this boot is rather autumnal. The top of the following design samples the colours from the Adonis Blue Butterfly and features a 'mode beige' vamp and counter. With an ombre effect on the sewn details, the top of the boot is elegantly decorated. The fifth design samples the darker colours from the Green Hairstreak Butterfly and features contrasting top threads, creating a boot that's equally classy as it is appropriate for working in.
When selecting one final design, I was mostly torn between the Grey Gentian, the tan/blue boot, and the beige/dark green design but grey boots have always caught my eye despite being a subtler colour, and since they can be paired with anything in my wardrobe, they're the ultimate 'everyday' boot for me.
At this stage, I added the materials to the design using Photoshop. I chose to have the vamp and counter to be in rough-out pigskin for a tougher aesthetic, and to have a utilitarian feel while the smoother materials and intricate detailing on the top of the boot add an elegant balance to this final design. At this point, I was really happy with the design as I could easily visualise myself wearing these boots. My personal brief had been fulfilled.
A project fueled by passion, I took my time creating magazine advertisements for my final boot under the conceptual brand, Lech Boots, for which I also designed a unique logo. I wanted these adverts to stay true to the western roots, so I took inspiration from retro print ads directed at the world of cowboys. In the 'marketing targets' page here we have adverts from Dan Post and Wrangler that showcase their target audience and also the beauty of their products. I took certain details into my own print magazine ads.
My advertisement here mostly shows off the boot itself. Reading, "take the country to the big city with the 'grey gentian", this title aims to highlight the versatility of the design. Below this is a description of the material choices and where the wearer can take the boots.
Here is also a minimal take on print advertising, only featuring a photo of the final product and letting it speak for itself.
This has been a truly fun project to work on and I hope you have enjoyed viewing my creative process for designing my own bespoke cowboy boots. After all, shoes should tell our stories. They are much more than just things we put on our feet.
Take a deeper dive into the project on my online portfolio!
What would you like to see next on My Shoe Cents? Let me know down below!
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