We are in the midst of a national Western renaissance. Beyoncé, Post Malone, and Lana Del Rey all announced country debuts this year. There are bolo ties and boots in just about every store. In January, supermodel Bella Hadid competed in a National Cutting Horse Association amateur event in Weatherford, at Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch. But the real trick is to stay true, not trendy. For that, you don’t need to go far. These three North Texas craftsmen use old tools, classic techniques, and traditional materials to outfit you right, from topper to toe.
The Hat
The last day Jeff Biggars didn’t wear a hat, he was on life support. The since recovered expert hatter—who has designed for country A-listers and Western enthusiasts alike—utilizes century-old equipment to create the highest quality “all natural” headwear from fur, felt, straw, leather, and, as he puts it, “bug guts.” (The bug guts are, in fact, shellac, a resin that comes from the secretions of lac bugs.)
With the financial help of his father-in-law, Biggars opened Biggar Hats in Decatur, a ranch town 60 miles northwest of Dallas, in 2013. The tiny town is home to a pocket of top-ranked professional bull riders, cattle ranchers, and real-life cowboys, many of whom rock Biggars’ custom hats. “The majority of our customers are real cowboys,” he says. “We wouldn’t be at the level that we’re at without cowboys. And we wouldn’t have the cowboys without the quality.”
Biggars starts the hat-making process with a 19th-century conformator, a hat-shaped machine that uses needles to perfectly punch the shape of the wearer’s crown into a card. From there, the hats made from pure rabbit and beaver furs are stressed, steamed, and shaped. Biggars prefers the durable tools of the past, which help him showcase his skills built up over years working for a large hat-production company.
“There’s still a lot of art and science that goes into hat making,” he says. “Just having this equipment doesn’t make the hat fit better. You have to take all this information and put it into the hat. There’s very few people left that can still do that.”
A fully custom hat can range from $520 into the thousands. Sizing to delivery takes six months, a timeline Biggars says is crucial for the best possible accessory. “The longer you take to make that hat, the better the hat’s going to be,” he says. “Years and years—10 years from now, 20 years from now—it’s a better hat than when you bought it.”
The designer has been commissioned by Kid Rock, and he shaped and distressed the hat worn by Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. More recently, he has seen the resurgence of Western culture lead to an influx of customers from south of town. “Customers from Dallas have already struck out,” he says. “They’ve been doing research, seen other people, tried hats on, been to other places. And they struck out. They come here, and they hit a home run. I don’t think anybody can do it like we can.”
The Jeans
Ciano Farmer Denim Co., based in Denton, is the DFW destination for shoppers seeking the durability of jeans made with American and Japanese denim using vintage machines. “You’ll never have to buy another pair of jeans,” says founder Ciano Farmer. “The way we construct them is completely different from modern factories, and that’s why this will last forever.”
Farmer starts with rolls of selvage denim, which features self-finished edges that produce flat seams and prevent unraveling. “Selvage is better,” he says. “This denim will outlast any other modern denim, because of the way it’s woven.”
Depending on the piece, the garment goes through a stitching process that utilizes between 10 and 15 antique steel sewing machines. The oldest in his collection is from 1897. “They run better today than they did back in the day,” he says. “I love these things because they just keep going and going and going.”
Each pair is made to order, and customers can pick the wash, stitch color, closure system, and fit. Because the process is time consuming, the waitlist can be up to eight months long. A pair of jeans starts at $200 and goes up to $600, but Farmer guarantees his products for life. If his denim does tear, repairs and replacements are free of charge.
The Belt and Boots
“Ididn’t want to see my grandpa’s legacy die,” says Clint Wilkinson, owner of Wilkinson’s Fine Goods. A sixth-generation Texan and a second-generation leatherworker, the real-deal cowboy works out of the former saddle shop his grandfather, Weldon Burgoon, built in downtown Denton 67 years ago.
Some of the saddles made by his grandfather still decorate the store, including the first one he made for Wilkinson, and the walls are decorated with pictures from the family’s roots in rodeo. Wilkinson himself roped calves as a child, just like his father.
Growing up in the shop, toying with leather scraps, Wilkinson never imagined he’d be the one taking over the family business. Following professional burnout after founding and developing a popular online motocross brand, he returned to his grandfather’s business in 2009 to master the art of leatherwork. Weldon’s Saddle Shop and Western Wear shut its doors in 2017, and Burgoon passed the following year. Then, in 2019, after two rebrands and a few business hurdles, Wilkinson opened his eponymous shop, carrying on the legacy he had been born into.
“I’ve got awesome history here, this crazy legacy,” he says. “Hand tooling was the only way that I could differentiate myself from the weekend warrior type. This needs to be a brand. It needs to be me, as an artist.” He started operating on commission only and almost immediately had a two-year list of projects. He has since made exclusive merch drops, often utilizing creative collaborations with fellow artisans and local creators such as Scott Slusher and Fenoglio Boot Company. Each new boot is produced in a singular size run, meaning each purchaser is one of only 12 people with that boot design. Fully custom boots, with numerous color and leather options, are also an option, with prices starting at $550.
“Around here, you’re liable to see somebody with your pair of [mass produced] boots on,” says Wilkinson. “Then you’re going to come find someone like me.”
All Hat,No Cattle
You don’t have tobe a landman tohave the look.
Snaps Clothing Co.
Co-founded in Dallas by Edgar Baronne and Patrick Lynn (and bankrolled by the celebrity likes of Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus and Bachelor host Chris Harrison), Snaps aims to reinvent the classic snap shirt with modern fabrics. 4653 Nall Rd., Farmers Branch.
The Bohlin Company
With deep roots in cowboy history, Bohlin has been handcrafting sterling silver and gold buckles for the likes of Gene Autry, John Wayne, Clara Bow, and the Lone Ranger since the 1940s. 4230 LBJ Fwy., Ste. 150.
Claudia Medina Hats
After spending eight years as the head designer for Stetson—styling hats for the likes of Leon Bridges and Beyoncé and for films such as Barbie and Killers of the Flower Moon—Claudia Medina recently unveiled her namesake brand.
Outpost Fine Goods
Owned by Caroline and Noah Irby and Trevin and Hannah Willison (owners of Wayward Coffee next door), this new boutique in the old Book Doctor space offers vintage clothing, spiced pickles, bandannas, and Shiner on tap. 1320 W. Davis St.
The Lone Gallery
Brightly colored cowgirls, monotone etchings of cacti, and depictions of old-fashioned shoot-outs are just some of the pieces in the rotating exhibits at Erin and J.P. Hossley’s Design District Gallery. 2532 Converse St.
This story originally appeared in the October issue ofD Magazinewith the headline“Western Revival.”Write tofeedback@dmagazine.com.
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Alyssa Fields
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