Steppin' Out
INTRODUCING THE BFG, A COWBOY BOOT DESIGNED WITH BILLY F GIBBONS
by Alvie Faulkenbery, October 11,2021
Steppin' Out
INTRODUCING THE BFG, A COWBOY BOOT DESIGNED WITH BILLY F GIBBONS
by Alvie Faulkenbery, October 11,2021
I’m pretty excited about this one. Today we’re launching the BFG, a cowboy boot that we designed with rock legend Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top. It’s available to pre-order now. This represents about a year of work since we first had the idea to create the “Air Jordans of Cowboy Boots,” our first limited-edition, co-designed boot. And both our team and Billy are thrilled about how they turned out. What makes the BFG different from any other boot out there?
I’m pretty excited about this one. Today we’re launching the BFG, a cowboy boot that we designed with rock legend Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top. It’s available to pre-order now. This represents about a year of work since we first had the idea to create the “Air Jordans of Cowboy Boots,” our first limited-edition, co-designed boot. And both our team and Billy are thrilled about how they turned out. What makes the BFG different from any other boot out there?
BILLY F GIBBONS IS A PERFECT MATCH FOR OUR MISSION
We knew we wanted to work with a famous Texan to design a boot that represented their style. We considered a lot of people, but in the end Billy was a no-brainer. Just as we’re sharing Austin with the world and selling cowboy boots to people who have never thought about wearing them before, Billy and ZZ Top have been sharing a non-Western version of Texas music with the world for more than 50 years.
BILLY F GIBBONS IS A PERFECT MATCH FOR OUR MISSION
We knew we wanted to work with a famous Texan to design a boot that represented their style. We considered a lot of people, but in the end Billy was a no-brainer. Just as we’re sharing Austin with the world and selling cowboy boots to people who have never thought about wearing them before, Billy and ZZ Top have been sharing a non-Western version of Texas music with the world for more than 50 years.
BILLY ACTUALLY HELPED DESIGN THE BFGS
Billy is also a lifelong lover of boots (he said his first pair was probably small enough to hang from a rearview mirror), and of good design. So I was excited to partner with him to design the boots to fit his unique style, and he did not disappoint. While on one hand it’s humbling being in the same room with the legend himself, on the other hand Billy brought a thoughtfulness, graciousness and keen eye to style throughout the whole process. He was involved in every step, from bringing in initial inspiration and boot design aspects he liked, to guiding us on the right kind of pinstriping for the shaft, to helping select leathers and thread colors. Billy is a genius when it comes to music, and he applied that same passion and artistry into the BFGs.
BILLY ACTUALLY HELPED DESIGN THE BFGS
Billy is also a lifelong lover of boots (he said his first pair was probably small enough to hang from a rearview mirror), and of good design. So I was excited to partner with him to design the boots to fit his unique style, and he did not disappoint. While on one hand it’s humbling being in the same room with the legend himself, on the other hand Billy brought a thoughtfulness, graciousness and keen eye to style throughout the whole process. He was involved in every step, from bringing in initial inspiration and boot design aspects he liked, to guiding us on the right kind of pinstriping for the shaft, to helping select leathers and thread colors. Billy is a genius when it comes to music, and he applied that same passion and artistry into the BFGs.
THE STYLE
Speaking of style, the BFG stands on its own in the boot industry and compliments Billy’s own signature vibe. Based on Billy’s inspirations and influences, we infused the design with elements of hotrod culture, rock ‘n’ roll, and old school Hollywood glam. The shaft and toe bug stitching are inspired by the West Coast hotrod and motorcycle pinstriping style pioneered by Von Dutch, Dean Jeffries and Big Daddy Roth. The ¼ snip toe and higher heel add some rocker flair. And we even built a special pocket into the boot where you can stash a guitar pick. Because those little guys often go missing, you can always use a spare pick. We even include our own custom BFG guitar pick in the pickpocket that has the “soon to be famous” Beardman logo (I told you these are the Air Jordans of Cowboy Boots).
THE STYLE
Speaking of style, the BFG stands on its own in the boot industry and compliments Billy’s own signature vibe. Based on Billy’s inspirations and influences, we infused the design with elements of hotrod culture, rock ‘n’ roll, and old school Hollywood glam. The shaft and toe bug stitching are inspired by the West Coast hotrod and motorcycle pinstriping style pioneered by Von Dutch, Dean Jeffries and Big Daddy Roth. The ¼ snip toe and higher heel add some rocker flair. And we even built a special pocket into the boot where you can stash a guitar pick. Because those little guys often go missing, you can always use a spare pick. We even include our own custom BFG guitar pick in the pickpocket that has the “soon to be famous” Beardman logo (I told you these are the Air Jordans of Cowboy Boots).
IT’S STILL AN ALVIES BOOT
In spite of the distinct styling of the BFG, at heart it’s still an Alvies boot. We handmade them using our premium cowhide leather, and built in all the features that make our boots feel better and last longer. That includes our Fast Break-In Fit for quick comfort, full leather toes, heel counters and a stacked leather heel for better comfort and reduced wearing, and a Goodyear welt so you can have your boots resoled over and over down the years.
IT’S STILL AN ALVIES BOOT
In spite of the distinct styling of the BFG, at heart it’s still an Alvies boot. We handmade them using our premium cowhide leather, and built in all the features that make our boots feel better and last longer. That includes our Fast Break-In Fit for quick comfort, full leather toes, heel counters and a stacked leather heel for better comfort and reduced wearing, and a Goodyear welt so you can have your boots resoled over and over down the years.
WE ONLY MADE 3,000 PAIRS
WE ONLY MADE 3,000 PAIRS
Part of making the BFGs special is limiting how many we produced, so we decided to only build 1,000 in each of its three colors. We won’t release these limited-edition boots again and we expect to sell out soon, so pre-order yours today before they’re gone.
Part of making the BFGs special is limiting how many we produced, so we decided to only build 1,000 in each of its three colors. We won’t release these limited-edition boots again and we expect to sell out soon, so pre-order yours today before they’re gone.
ABOUT ALVIE
Alvie is the founder of Alvies (makes sense, right?), a man obsessed with boots and flip-flops. He spent six years designing and selling them out of an Airstream. That time was like his vision quest, where he learned everything he could about traditional bootmaking and leatherworking in order to build the best boots and flip-flops on the planet. In addition to being our Presidente and chief product designer, he’s also our resident boot expert and dropper of knowledge on the blog.
ABOUT ALVIE
Alvie is the founder of Alvies (makes sense, right?), a man obsessed with boots and flip-flops. He spent six years designing and selling them out of an Airstream. That time was like his vision quest, where he learned everything he could about traditional bootmaking and leatherworking in order to build the best boots and flip-flops on the planet. In addition to being our Presidente and chief product designer, he’s also our resident boot expert and dropper of knowledge on the blog.