Lela Rose finally gets her boots

A new collaboration between Lela Rose and the luxury cowboy boots brand Lucchese suggests that the Western look is no longer a trend, but a staple in the American aesthetic.

[Photo: Lela Rose/Lucchese]

While some girls dream of getting their first designer handbag, Lela Rose—who grew up in Dallas—dreamt of getting her own pair of boots from Lucchese, the legendary luxury bootmaker founded in 1883 in San Antonio. When she got married, her whole family got fitted in Lucchese boots, blending their formal wear with a nod to their Texas roots.

Nearly three decades later, Rose is not just wearing the brand—she’s designing for it. Rose’s eponymous clothing label, which she launched in 1998, and Lucchese, the 143-year-old bootmaker, will launch a collaboration on March 10. It’s a partnership that makes sense: two brands with deep Texas roots finally finding each other.

The collection comprises three boots, each bearing Rose’s signature blend of femininity and Western romanticism. The standout is a white boot adorned with a sculptural 3D flower and intricate quilted stitching, which is already creating a stir among brides. The partnership goes beyond footwear: Rose’s team has developed an accompanying clothing line that connects directly to the boots, and both brands will cross-sell in their respective stores. (Boots start at $1,295, and clothes start at $650.)

The Cowboy Look Is Here to Stay

Rose has always wanted to design boots, but she acknowledges that her team didn’t have the skills to make them at the level of craftsmanship she wanted. So she was thrilled when Lucchese was interested in working together. “We are not experts in footwear,” she says. “This was such a great opportunity to partner with someone who completely knows quality and fit, and then we could bring our design aesthetic to that, and vice versa with clothing.”

The collaboration feels timely. Historically, Western style has entered the fashion cycle every decade or so, with brands incorporating cowboy boots and shirts into their collections. But over the last several years, something has changed. The Western look has become embedded within the American aesthetic, alongside the preppy look and sportswear.

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour sent Stetsons and fringe flying off shelves. Louis Vuitton staged a Western-inspired runway show featuring real cowboys. Boot brands like Tecovas and Miron Crosby are growing with remarkable speed. And the customer base has shifted—it’s no longer just Texans and ranchers, but New Yorkers, Angelenos, and Bostonians who are wearing boots year-round. The cowboy boot is beginning to be thought of more like a loafer—a wardrobe staple that transcends region and occasion.

Lela Rose Has Always Loved Western Style

Rose launched her brand in 1998, creating clothes that appealed to her: dresses for a busy social calendar of parties and events that stand out for their sculptural silhouettes, colorful prints, and unapologetic femininity. (Her pieces are at a luxury price point, with dresses that easily hit $3,000 or $4,000, and tops that start at $400.)

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