Doug Hogue, Vice President of Brand and Product at Lucchese Bortaker, told FOX Business that the Texas-based company has been making boots for more than 140 years.
Lucchese Bortaker has spent more than a century perfecting its craft and continues to pride itself on making the majority of its products on US soil.
Founded in 1883, the Texas-based retailer sells a variety of western luxury products but is best known for its cowboy boots, hand-crafted by Doug Hogue,” said Braw President.
“We feel we make the best cowboy boot in the world,” Hogue told FOX Business. “We’re very proud of what we do.”
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At the company’s production facility in El Paso, as few as 200 artists touch each boot.
Lucchese Bortaker continues to pride itself on manufacturing most of its products on US soil. (Blair Getz Mezibov, Courtesy of Lucchese Bortaker)
“I’ve seen a lot of companies go and move products overseas,” Hogue said. “It’s very important to us to preserve that legacy, and it’s a very important part of our reality.”
The process of creating each cowboy boot begins with the final selection – the form in which each boot is created – followed by the selection of materials. The company uses a “huge” amount of standard materials, including alligator, ostrich and crocodile, according to Hogue.
“We make sure every pair of boots is the same,” he said. “… so they look like they came from the same animal.”
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Founded in 1883, the Texas-based retailer sells a range of western luxury products but is best known for its cowboy boots. (Blair Getz Mezibov, Courtesy of Lucchese Bortaker)
Once the materials have been selected, the elements are cut, fixed, embroidered and assembled.
“The boots are made from the inside,” Hogue said. “So everything is fixed from the inside, and it finds a place in the assembly part, and it is actually pulled by it from the other side.”
From there, the boots go through a series of sitting and tracing, followed by a finishing process that involves sanding, staining and polishing. The entire process takes about four to six weeks to complete, according to Hogue.
“Every boot is made at the same time, he said. “There are no racks of 24 or 36 or 48 boots running all at once. Each boot is an individual.”
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While boots remain at the heart of Lucchese’s business, the company also sells cowboy hats, cress shirts, sports jackets, hats, accessories, clothing, wallets, travel gear and more, according to its website. (Dusana Risovic / Penske Media Via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The company’s best-selling Men’s “Exotic Boots” are available for about $3,995, while its Mens “Original” boots are priced around $1,195, according to its website.
While boots remain at the heart of Lucchese’s business, the company also sells cowboy hats, cress shirts, sports jackets, hats, accessories, clothing, wallets, travel gear and more, according to its website.
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“We do a whole range of Western lifestyle products,” Hogue said. “It’s not just cowboy boots. … We try to be able to dress our male and female consumers from head to toe. … We’re a lifestyle brand and not just a step builder.”
