May 5, 2013

COBRA ROCK


On my last full day in Marfa I got lucky. After exploring the Judd and Chinati Foundations at my leisure (and free of charge), I found myself in line at the community BBQ behind Logan Caldbeck and Colt Miller of Cobra Rock Boot Company. I'll be honest: the deeply religious shoe maniac in me already knew who they were before our proper introductions. Swapping stories in between bites of brisket and potato salad, the bootmaking duo told me about their move to Marfa three years ago and about their workspace and store on South Dean Street, a dream actualized. They've lovingly hand crafted each beautiful boot out of there ever since, and I can't wait for mine. 
Tell me about the South Highland Boot:
Our design is inspired by the history and style particular to West Texas. We were doing a lot of hiking in Fort Davis and thought to make a practical desert boot, but we had been making classic cowboy boots for a long time. There were certain things we wanted to hold on to: the snub nose, the square toe, and the riding heel - all reminiscent of 1940's hollywood era cowboy boots. Those qualities combined with contemporary and functional elements are what make our South Highland Boot. And they're unisex. We naturally find inspiration in things from the past, but when it comes down to it, we aren't interested in making reproductions.

If not in Marfa, I would live in:
Logan: I'm really happy here.
I grew up in:
Colt: West Texas
Logan: British Columbia, Canada
I can't stop listening to:
L: Nico!, CCR, Sunset Rubdown
C: Shovels & Rope, Lee Hazelwood, and country classics...Gram Parsons, The Byrds
My favorite film is:
L: True Stories, Midnight Cowboy, Seven Samurai
One piece I will never get rid of is:
L: I had these caribou antlers while I was living in Montreal that were really special to me, but they were too enormous to bring to Marfa. After Colt and I started dating, he actually made me a pair of cowboy boots and inlayed a copy of the antlers on each boot. Those boots. 
My star sign is: 
L: Leo, the diva one...
C: Virgo
I sometimes channel:
L: Enid Justin, of the Justin Industries, really inspires me. She founded her own boot company Nocona in 1925. We actually went to Nocona, Texas to find her grave, but we couldn't. We'll have to go back. 
My dream car is: 
L: A VW Fastback
C: A Chevy Scottsdale pickup, mid 80's

photo of the South Highland Boot courtesy of Cobra Rock Boot Company



2 comments:

  1. Hi,

    Great photographs. May I ask what camera you're using?

    fun fun,
    M

    ReplyDelete