Parker Boot Company is marking its 10th year in business with the launch of a new made-to-order program.
Up until now, customers were coming to the Houston, Texas-based shoe company for fully bespoke Western boots. Now, according to founder Zephan Parker, the brand’s footwear will be open to a wider audience looking to enter the luxury Western footwear market at a more accessible price.
And while the new made-to-order footwear range might not be considered accessible to some – with retail prices for the range sitting between $995 to $1,895 – Parker told FN in an interview that all of his company’s products are handmade by a team of 11 artisans based in Houston in what is considered to be one of the last remaining bespoke boot shops left in the business.
“With this new service, we wanted to offer a high quality American-made product to consumers at a price point that’s about 60 percent less of what it costs to build their own bespoke boots,” Parker said. “We’re using the same craftsmen that we use in our bespoke service, with the same quality, it’s just offering our boots in more generic sizing and options for a quicker turnaround.”
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The made-to-order range includes two distinct silhouettes in an array of three colorways. First up, the Caldwell, which pays homage to Parker’s maternal lineage and the rugged cowboys of the Northwest. This boot boasting a choice between a Western box toe or round toe, a ten-inch top, and a resolute Western heel.
On the other hand, the Kent boot exudes the spirit of weekend adventures, drawing inspiration from Parker’s father’s affinity for Western urban lifestyles. Each silhouette can be personalized in black, navy, or brown hues, crafted from an array of premium leathers ranging from supple calfskin to exotic skins.
Customers can expect to receive their made-to-order boots in four to six weeks after initial purchase, Parker said.
It is only fitting that the inaugural made-to-order collection draws inspiration from Parker’s familial heritage given the roots of the brand. According to Parker, the boot brand embodies his father’s passion for music and his mother’s cowboy family lineage from northern California, Idaho, Montana and Utah.
Parker got his start in the business by studying under some of the best boot shops in Texas including Jass Boot Shop under Ray Jones, Kimmel Boot Company, and Dave Wheeler of Wheeler Boot Company. Eventually, Parker and his family returned to Houston and opened a shop near his childhood home. Initially, the shop focused on repair services but offered custom handmade boots, but Parker’s unique style and bespoke process quickly gained popularity, leading to the creation of Parker Boot Co. ten years ago.
“We want our company to be a major player in terms of what American manufacturing can be,” Parker added. “We make sure all our workers are paid a livable salary where they can buy a home and raise a family. That’s kind of been our centralized focus – to make sure our workers are being provided the opportunity to build things here in America so that they want to participate in this type of trade industry.”
This extension into made-to-order boots couldn’t come at a better time for the Western market. Indeed, cowboy boots, hats and denim have been among the top-selling fashion trends for a few years.
In the U.S., Western boots totaled $888.5 million in sales in 2023, up 30 percent from 2019, according to Circana’s consumer tracking data.
“The cowboy boot is a cornerstone of American fashion. So, to see Western styles being accepted as fashion-friendly wardrobe items instead of feeling like a costume item, it’s really exciting,” Parker added.
