When the lease for Western retailer Tucker Brown ended on Camp Bowie Boulevard in 2020, creative director/co-owner Mamie Brown knew exactly where she wanted to relocate. Founded by her father in Lubbock in 1986, the boutique had built a loyal following, but Brown saw a unique opportunity with the opening of Mule Alley in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

“This district is unlike anything I’ve seen,” Brown tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “That’s because they are not imitating Nashville or 6th Street in Austin. It is unique to Fort Worth. I also really appreciate the fact that it has been a slow and steady growth.”

Early on, Stockyard’s marketing and tourism director Dena Newell says her team knew that Mule Alley represented something unique — a central destination for apparel, boots, Western clothing, and accessories from iconic brands like Lucchese, Double D Ranch, Flea Style, and others. Newell says the early branding of “Western fashion capital of the world” for her district felt like a natural fit. To build off that success, they started the first Fashion Week Stockyards Style four years ago.

Newell says this year’s event will be larger and more ambitious than ever. Fifteen retailers will host in-store activations alongside a three-day juried art exhibition. Saturday will feature a runway show that highlights the latest Western-inspired looks.

Modern Masters of the West: Art Meets Fashion in the Stockyards

This year’s Fashion Week Stockyards Style introduces a bold new element with Modern Masters of the West, a juried art exhibition organized in partnership with the Cowgirl Artists of America, founded by Megan Wimberley. Fifteen artists, including Kathryn Merrill, Alexa Bagnell, and Kristi Rose, will be paired with 15 Mule Alley retailers to create one-of-a-kind in-store experiences.

Each retailer hand-selected an artist whose vision complements their brand. Throughout the three-day event, artists will create an original work in mediums ranging from acrylic and oil to charcoal. Attendees can vote in a people’s choice contest, and the top two artists will be invited to create live paintings during Saturday’s runway show.

Runway Showcase to Bring Western Fashion Center Stage

The highlight of Fashion Week Stockyards Style is Saturday’s runway show, organized by veteran producer Susan Houston, who has staged fashion events across Dallas-Fort Worth. Houston works closely with each retailer to curate four to five looks that reflect their brand identity while tying into the overall event theme.

This year’s runway will feature styles ranging from elevated ranch wear to modern Western couture, giving audiences a first look at how heritage pieces — like boots, hats, and belts — pair seamlessly with contemporary trends. Brown says she’s seeing a variety of trends in Western fashion.

“We’re seeing a lot of slip dresses paired with a great jacket and a scarf,” she says. “It’s a perfect canvas to layer with a hat or jacket. There’s also a big wave of that flowy boho vibe right now, with lace, oversized silhouettes, ruffles, and a touch of cottagecore.”

Western Fashion Capital of the World

For Newell and the retailers who call Mule Alley and the Stockyards home, Fashion Week Stockyards Style is an important platform for growing and solidifying Fort Worth’s reputation as the Western fashion capital of the world. The runway show gives attendees a preview of the styles and trends that will carry into the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo and the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, making the weekend one of the best opportunities to see what’s next in Western wear.

“What I love about Western clothing,” Brown says, “is that the hat, scarf, and boot all serve a purpose in the ag industry. I don’t know many industries where people can take the uniform of their job and turn it into fashion.”