AVANT Magazine Volume 5 — An Anthology of Western Wear

AVANT Magazine is a biannual magazine founded by Eric Maggiori. It focuses on the relationship between clothing, history and its impact on our current society. 

After four issues dedicated to workwear and military clothing, AVANT heads West with its fifth issue dedicated to Western Wear.

We go back to the first cowboys who helped shape the American frontier — and explore how painters and Hollywood turned them into universal icons. But as always, AVANT stays true to its core mission: clothes and style. This issue traces the evolution of Western wear, focusing on the history of two of its most iconic pieces: the Western shirt and the Stetson hat.

You’ll also discover the story of Rodeo Ben, one of the greatest rodeo tailors of all time — the man who designed the first Wrangler jeans — plus conversations with collectors, designers, and passionate storytellers who prove the American West has no borders.

With prefaces written by two legends of the West — Steve Weil (grandson of Papa Jack Weil, founder of Rockmount Ranch Wear) and Lynn Downey (former Levi Strauss & Co. historian and a specialist in dude ranching) — each story offers both a deep historical dive and a modern perspective on how Western clothing still influences culture today.