[/media-credit]The cotton knit cardigan from Tasha Polizzi, layers well with jeans, jewelry and boots.
While you certainly see people turned out from head-to-toe in Western wear in January in Denver, adopting a few accessories often is a way to look contemporary without turning into a cliché.
During a walk through the semiannual Western & English Sales Association trade show at the Denver Merchandise Mart last week, it was the boots and hats, jewelry and bags that stood out, in a good way. Retail buyers from boutiques and big stores were treated to an eyeful of designs for summer through winter 2012-13.
It’s always fun to see what LaDane Smith has in her At the Ranch showroom,
[/media-credit]Lane Boots, shown At the Ranch in the Denver Merchandise Mart.
and her array of Lane Boots was once again front and center. Floral, embroidered, tooled and distressed, there are gorgeous designs, all with the company’s signature blue soles. Patrick Lane said he started the company five years ago with the thought that he’d sell closeouts and then started manufacturing boots when he discovered what a market there was among women for decorative western boots. He works with designers in Chicago, Jackson Hole and Fort Worth to come up with boot styles that are then handcrafted. Lane Boots start at about $250 and top out around $450; see laneboots.com for details and stores.
[/media-credit]A bison leather bag with turquoise trim and a 3 Angels tassel, from Eternal Perspectives.
Another line catching our attention was Lynn Gerber’s Eternal Perspectives Handbags. This Colorado native loves bison, particularly when it’s cut into artful crossbodies, totes and shoulder purses that she further embellishes. Turquoise and other stones, silver charms and studs in silver, copper and antique gold decorate the bags. Fringe, fur, embossed “croc” and other materials that strike her fancy make it designs that are sold in boutiques and resorts across the state and country. Many designs also feature a detachable jewelry piece from another Colorado company — 3 Angels, designed by Colleen Olson. Prices are $52 to $450. See the bags at enternalperspectiveshandbags.com; Store info at 303-944-8381.
Rockmount Ranch Wear is best known for its snap-front shirts, but owner Steve Weil continues to dig through the archives of the company his grandfather founded in the 1940s. The most recent product to come out of that effort is a series of zipper top leather bags featuring company logos and sayings: “Made in the West by Westerners.” A plus: Weil is having members of the Comanche Nation make the items. Prices start at $23 for a cosmetic bag and go up to $55 for shoulder bags. They’re in store at 1626 Wazee St., and online at rockmount.com
A visit to the market isn’t complete without a stop by Tasha Polizzi’s showroom. The former director of women’s design for Ralph Lauren, Tasha has a distinctive Western and Americana-inspired aesthetic that she employs in home furnishings and clothing. She makes great layering pieces – goatskin ponchos, sweaters and cardigans in blanket patterns – that are perfect with jeans, boots and Western jewelry.
