Today we’d like to introduce you to Zephan Parker.
Hi Zephan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins as a customer of custom handmade cowboy boots. Like all who follow a passion, it begins small and ends up big, so there I was having a pair handmade. The “handmade” label just wasn’t enough I wanted a craftsman to build me exactly what I wanted, to my specifications.
My journey finally led me into a small boot shop in Lampasas, Texas, the shop of bootmaker John Jass. I was taken in by what I saw. a simple shop with one man behind a bench doing every part. For the first time, I felt connected to the process like never before. With this new inspiration, I wanted to take this boot passion to another level so I asked if he would allow me to build a pair of boots alongside him and teach me along the way. He agreed. After this, I journeyed into other great makers’ shops such as Eddie Kimmel and finally landed at the door of the great Dave Wheeler of Wheeler Boot Co. In Houston, Texas. It is here that all the final Pieces came together and my fate as a craftsman was sealed.
Clothing, and footwear, in particular, have always been a passion of mine from the first day I knew what shoes were. My parents still tell the stories of how insistent I was to have this shoe or shirt etc. I believe that clothing tells a story, they often speak louder than words! Cowboy boots are no different and play a huge role in the message people who wear them like to send.
There are many who have contributed to my journey of nearly ten years now. Many who have passed on, and many who weren’t boot makers at all. Some fellow church members, some family, and some fellow craftsman.
Today, I make these handmade boots in a small shop located in Houston, Heights. Each pair is made by hand, by me. For me, every pair is an opportunity to blow another ember of American Craftsmanship into a flame. The cowboy boot is something special, something that not only adds inches to one’s height but yards to his stature. This history, this love is what makes the American cowboy boot maker unique, and why I feel honored and privileged to be a part of this great family.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As with any trade, there is no smooth road, in fact, you spend the first few years wrestling out the minor details. Of all the people I know craftsmen seem to be the most self-critical, never fully satisfied with what is finished. Imperfect men always seeking a perfect product. This process and desire are what makes handmade of superior quality, it’s what gives definition to the term because the craftsman must build what he knows best.
In bootmaking today some of the greatest challenges are meeting the demands of the orders taken. With so few bootmakers and more and more people desiring quality over quantity, it is hard to complete the boots in a reasonable time frame. Another contributing struggle is a helping hand is nearly impossible to find. Most boot shops are one-man shows and he is playing the role of four employees.
American manufacturing has been significantly reduced over the years especially in the footwear industry. It is in this industry that small shops like mine would glean off the byproducts of what they left behind. Such as old machines and parts to fix those machines. Or leathers that were in excess recycled back into the marketplace or leather suppliers that would stock materials for larger companies but also provide those materials for smaller shops as well. Today, much of this is left behind requiring the bootmaker to be particularly wise in order to get what is needed with consistency.
While the internet has opened many new roads for leather workers, yet without an advocate or knowledgeable leather person, it is all too easy to find oneself burdened with very low-grade materials not suited for high-end products. While these struggles are present, they are not insurmountable.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I believe that a fine handmade boot is the best. What does that mean? Well, something that bridges the gap between function and finesse, something that works both on the ranch and in the real world of life. Something you can go to work in or wine and dine in. I often ask my clients, “Why can’t a boot work with a tuxedo, and regular trousers?” A work boot cannot. But a fine handmade boot with the correct lines and details can, especially when in the right color pallet with the right simplicity. For some, this is dangerous territory in the world of dress, and I understand the rules and therefore see room to break them at times.
Weddings and other events are great occasions to wear a cowboy boot when it is done correctly. Weekend getaways and visits to the winery in jeans work perfectly well in cowboy boots. It is here that I specialize, to build to your need and meet the demands of your expectations. You love vintage, ill capture that vision. You ride bucking horses ill build to suit that need as well. You work in a courthouse, not a problem, I can build something to look great in a pinstripe suit.
What sets me apart is the ability to cross multiple spectrums in style and dress. This unique characteristic allows me to better fit the boot to the personality and lifestyle of the individual. With this as the foundation of our journey, we can better meet the demands of one’s expectation – making the custom boot process much more exciting!
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
One of the most important lessons I have learned is respect for those who went before me. As the years have gone by I find myself with more love and respect for that craftsman who are much older and wiser than me. That each one of these men and women holds a unique key to open a door at some point along my way. It never ceases to amaze me what I learn when I sit and listen to any craftsman or artist. To be reminded of that connection between what is made and the maker.
Pricing:
- Belts – $125 starting
- Boots – $2500 starting
Contact Info:
- Email: info@parkerbootcompany.com
- Website: parkerbootcompany.com
- Instagram: parkerbootco
- Facebook: parkerbootcompany
