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Century-old Lucchese keeps American cowboy boot craftsmanship alive
Doug Hogue, vice chairman of name and product at Lucchese Bootmaker, instructed FOX Enterprise that the Texas-based firm has been making boots by hand for greater than 140 years.
Lucchese Bootmaker has spent greater than a century perfecting his craft and continues to be proud to provide the vast majority of his merchandise on American soil.
The Texas-based retailer, based in 1883, sells a spread of luxurious Western merchandise however is finest identified for its cowboy boots, that are handcrafted with “the best uncooked supplies,” in response to Doug Hogue, vice chairman of name and product at Lucchese Bootmaker.
“We really feel like we take advantage of lovely cowboy boots on the earth,” Hogue instructed FOX Enterprise. “We’re very happy with what we do.”
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On the firm’s manufacturing facility in El Paso, as many as 200 artisans contact every boot.
Lucchese Bootmaker continues to be proud that almost all of its merchandise are produced on American soil. (Blair Getz Mezibov, courtesy of Lucchese Bootmaker)
“I’ve seen quite a lot of firms shifting merchandise abroad,” Hogue mentioned. “It is actually necessary to us to protect that heritage, and it is actually an important a part of our authenticity.”
The method of creating every cowboy boot begins with choosing the final – the form round which every boot is constructed – adopted by the number of supplies. The corporate makes use of a “large” quantity of unique supplies, together with alligator, ostrich and crocodile, in response to Hogue.
“We ensure that each pair of shoes matches,” he mentioned. “…So that they appear to be they got here from an identical animal.”
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Based in 1883, the Texas-based retailer sells a spread of luxurious Western merchandise, however is finest identified for its cowboy boots. (Blair Getz Mezibov, courtesy of Lucchese Bootmaker)
As soon as the supplies are chosen, the parts are reduce, stitched, embroidered and assembled.
“The boots are made inside out,” Hogue mentioned. “So every part is stitched from the within out, and midway via the meeting course of they’re truly pulled via so that they’re proper aspect out.”
From there, the boots bear a strategy of sturdiness and stitching, adopted by a ending course of that features sanding, staining and sharpening. In accordance with Hogue, the complete course of takes about 4 to 6 weeks.
“Every boot is made separately, he mentioned. “There are not any racks of 24, 36 or 48 boots all going via on the similar time. Every boot is particular person.”
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Whereas boots stay the core of Lucchese’s enterprise, the corporate additionally sells cowboy hats, shirts, swimsuit jackets, purses, equipment, wallets, journey gadgets and extra, in response to its web site. (Dusana Risovic/Penske Media by way of / Getty Pictures)
The corporate’s best-selling “Authentic Unique” males’s boots price about $3,995, whereas the traditional “Authentic” males’s boots price about $1,195, in response to the web site.
Whereas boots stay the core of Lucchese’s enterprise, the corporate additionally sells cowboy hats, shirts, swimsuit jackets, purses, equipment, wallets, journey gadgets and extra, in response to its web site.
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“We make an entire vary of merchandise for the Western life-style,” says Hogue. “It is not simply cowboy boots…. We attempt to costume our female and male customers from head to toe…. We’re a life-style model and never only a boot maker.”