In this issue, AVANT goes to meet the first cowboys who populated the American West. We also tell how the great painters and Hollywood have greatly contributed to mythologize the image of the cowboy.
Of course, and this is the primary function of AVANT: we do not forget to talk about clothes and style, on the contrary. So, we trace the evolution of the Western style, focusing on the history of two of its most iconic pieces: the Western shirt and the Stetson hat.
We also tell the story of one of the greatest rodeo tailors of all time: Rodeo Ben, the man who designed the first Wrangler jeans.
Oh, and we chatted with Cowboy Phil Rupp, a sunny character who collects fancy cowboy suits and shirts, Courtenay De Hoff, a cow girl turned to television host, Barbanera’s designer and creative director Sergio Guardi and vintage collector Bernie McMahon.
Prefaces are written by two legends of the West : Steve Weil, grandson of Papa Jack Weil, founder of Rockmount Ranch Wear, and Lynn Downey, former Levi Strauss and Co. historian and a specialist in the history of dude ranching.
Each story lets us dive into the history of the United States - especially the West - and offers a modern perspective on the way these clothes have influenced the course of history and continue to interact with our society today.
STORIES & TALES
• How the Arts have mythologized the American cowboy : Here is how simple cowboy farmers became eternal and universal figures of America.
• The Western shirt, an American identity : First worn by Vaqueros in the 19th century, the Western shirt has become the symbol of cowboy culture and identity.
• The Origin of the Stetson Hat : Created by John B. Stetson during a trip to the American West, the Stetson hat would rapidly become the headgear of millions of Americans.
• Black cowboys: a forgotten history : Long erased from history books, Hollywood movies and rodeos, black cowboys are now slowly finding their place, mainly thanks to culture and fashion.
• Dude Ranch Duds : At the end of the 19th century, some ranches in the Western territories began to welcome guests. This will, indirectly, contribute to the mass diffusion of the western style in the popular culture.
• Dude Ranch Duds : At the end of the 19th century, some ranches in the Western territories began to welcome guests. This will, indirectly, contribute to the mass diffusion of the western style in the popular culture.
• From suffragettes to Marilyn Monroe: the rise of women’s jeans : Some brands, like Levi’s and Lee, have accompanied this feminization of jeans, adapting the cuts and models to the female body.
INTERVIEWS
• Bernie McMahon : He is proof that the American West has no borders: in fact, he was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia.
• Cowboy Phil Rupp : He is, quite possibly, the classiest cowboy in the United States. He is Phil Rupp, known to all as Cowboy Phil. A man who, in himself, is an ode to nature and colors.
• Courtenay De Hoff : She grew up on a ranch in Kansas, as a little horse-riding cowgirl, and has worked in mainstream television in America for over a decade.
• Joe David Walters : He is an actor, musician and owns a company called Union Western Clothing which is making suits for rock stars.
• Sergio Guardi : Born and raised in Italy, Sergio Guardi took a liking to the cowboy genre when he was a child.
ART & ILLUSTRATIONS
• Electric Desert : A masterpiece from western painter Mark Maggiori.
• Images of the West : Twelve images of cowboys, which immediately immerse us in the spirit of the West.
• Private Collection : Rare pieces of Western Wear from the collections of Bernie McMahon, Joe David Walters, Eric Maggiori and Wouter Munnichs.
AND MORE…
• A love letter to cowboy boots, by Joey Medina
• Seven things to know about the cowboy’s accessories
• When modern fashion meets tradition: the westerner’s shopping list
• The Wrangler comic books…
