The American Southwest in NYFW 2018

September 21, 2018 by Nicole Schimel in Style

As New York Fashion Week comes to a close and London starts its own, there are once again subtle mentions of the American Southwest’s influence being showcased. Luckily, those of us that love our fringe jackets we invested in after last year’s explosion of “cowboy fashion” or that we have gladly accepted as hand-me-downs from older generations, can still wear them with ease (not like we’d ever stop based on mainstream fashion’s rules). The new collections combine things that nod to the American Southwest of the past. Seen below is a mix of prairie skirts, reworked denim, embellished cowboy boots, fringed leather, Native American patterns, and moccasins. We’ve paired some of our own fashionable candid photos from Luck Reunion attendees earlier this year next to shots from the runway to show that Luck is always in style.

Coach 1941 & Margo Price at Luck Reunion

Alexander Wang & Luck Reunion street style

Ralph Lauren & Luck Reunion street style

Runway photos by Getty, Iker Aldama, Indigital.tv.

Luck Reunion photos by Jentri Collello, Cal Quinn, Brooke Hamilton.

Americana Music Awards Red Carpet Looks 2018

September 12, 2018 by Luck Reunion in Style

The red carpet of Americana Music Awards was covered in Oriental Rugs, adding a stylish twist to a traditional awards ceremony. The stars of the Americana music marched down before rows of fans and photographers to attend and perform at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. Some of these folks joined us first at the Luck Mansion pop up where we styled them with a team of artists with curated wardrobe and hair and makeup. Check out the gallery below from today’s events.

All photos taken by Brooke Hamilton at PBT Photography

Courtney Marie Andrews wearing Ft. Lonesome, Hair & Makeup by Nicole Schimel. Styled by Beth Hitchcock.

Lukas Nelson & Margo Price wearing Any Old Iron

Lilly Hiatt wearing Fables by Barrie, Hair & makeup by Nicole Schimel. With John Little.

Joseph Pope III of Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

The Lone Bellow. Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin, & Brian Elmquist. Hair, Makeup & grooming by Nicole Schimel.

The Lone Bellow. Zach Williams, Kanene Donehey Pipkin, & Brian Elmquist. Hair, Makeup & grooming by Nicole Schimel. Styled by Beth HItchcock.

Joey Ryan & Kenneth Pattengale of The Milk Carton Kids

Sources: Echo Park Rising - LA's Neighborhood Music and Arts Festival

August 23, 2018 by Ellee Fletcher in Style, Culture, Events, Music, Sources

photos by Vivien Best

Echo Park may seem like an unlikely place for the Luck Family to land, but even cowboys and outlaws made it in and out of Hollywood eventually. The Los Angeles neighborhood of Echo Park, just south of Silver Lake, has been home to music legends like Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and Gram Parsons over the years. It's rumored that the "Burrito King" restaurant down the street from the park on Sunset Blvd. is the very spot that influenced the Flying Burrito Brothers' name. Zevon's song "Carmelita" (also recorded by Flaco Jimenez, Dwight Yoakam, and Linda Ronstadt) recalls his time in the neighborhood: "I hear Mariachi static on my radio/And the tubes they glow in the dark/And I'm there with her in Ensenada/And I'm here in Echo Park". In recent years, Echo Park has quickly evolved into what has been called one of the hottest areas of the city. Eight-year-old Echo Park Rising, the community’s landmark music and arts festival founded by Liz Garo (founder of the local venue, the Echo) and KamranV (Chamber of Commerce President), has become a source of inspiration and evolution within LA’s creative landscape. We attended the fest with our friends at Mountain Valley Spring Water last weekend to dig into the community and culture of Echo Park that has come to serve as a vibrant source for creativity in LA.

When asked “How do you Echo Park?”, attendees, artists, and festival founders alike focused on the tight-knit community. Founder KamranV explained, “It’s a complete neighborhood effort, and everyone’s contributing in many different ways. It is that personal care that makes it continue.” Everyone from local businesses, musicians, artists, law enforcement, members of the community, and officials pitch in and get involved to make Echo Park Rising happen. The festival is free to attend and features over 600 acts and 120 businesses from the neighborhood and surrounding communities. This year’s music roster included electronic DJs, indie rock, rap, and even country with the Grand Ole Echo showcase.

The Grand Ole Echo (GOE), self-described as LA's "country and not so country music showcase", bridges the gap from the seemingly separated Texas and Nashville music scenes to that of Los Angeles. GOE's Jocelyn Romo reminded us that country roots run deep in California: "This is is about as Western as you can get, literally. Its very easy to forget that there’s a great community for country music, for anything from like very traditional stuff to something a little bit more far out like Gram Parsons...that was all very much centered in California." GOE is just one of many widely varying showcases and events throughout the three day festival, including drawing workshops, free yoga and movement classes, wildlife walks around Echo Park Lake, and even a DJ workshop for kids.

As Echo Park and Echo Park Rising grow simultaneously, one constant remains in local venue the Echo. Liz Garo opened the venue in 2001, ten years before the launch of Echo Park Rising. Over the years the venue, alongside its festival extension, has grown into a staple for up and coming local acts and touring indie bands (including a few of our #LuckFamily members like Aaron Lee Tasjan and Cut Worms). Artist Theresa Wayman of Warpaint, popularly known as TT, has been living in Echo Park for over a decade and recalls the Echo as an establishment that marked the community long before it gained popularity: "...It didn’t seem like anything was going to be happening down there or up here. There weren’t that many great restaurants up here on Sunset, and things were just really different. But the Echo was there. The Echo was happening, Echoplex was happening...I think that’s a really big point of interest and also has been establishing the culture here for so long."

Both the festival and the neighborhood are becoming permanent additions in the creative tapestry of Los Angeles. Like every creative hub, Echo Park is experiencing growing pains; but with the rising popularity of the festival and the supportive community, it continues to thrive. Fest attendee Paulina Ruiz said, “Echo Park is young and its happening and it’s changing, but that doesn’t mean that the youth is not going to survive here.” Echo Park Rising founder Liz Garo agreed and commented on the uniqueness of her community: “I think like a lot of the neighborhoods in LA it has a good mix of the old and new. There’s a lot of history here. It’s pretty diverse still but at the same time there’s new businesses coming. I think it’s a good little microcosm of what LA is, or can be, just with the different mix of people and different businesses and the independent culture.” And there’s no doubt about it, Echo Park is on the rise.

“I just spread love. I try to spread as much positivity to the world as possible. I’m just trying to give back to the world just like my father gave back to me.” - Nathan Kiseve

“I think you do Echo Park with kindness. Kindness to all types of people, all shapes and sizes...that’s how you do Echo Park.” - Holland Belle

“I do Echo Park by doing what the fuck I want and staying hydrated.” - Hoddy Base

“All day every day.” - Shelli Louise

“10pm. Little Joy. Tonight.” - Andrew Martin

”It seems really cool and urban.” - Selma Jama

“I live here and I like to walk and run around the community and eat at the local restaurants. It’s why I moved here.” - Eleanore Guthrie

“How do you do Echo Park? You just cruise.”

“I usually play music in Echo Park and love on all the people.” - Gabrielle Wortman

“Having fun.” - Kayla Lotterer

“How do I Echo Park? Drinking lots of liquids.” - Christina Benson

”I Echo Park by only going to the Holloway. Echo Park is young and and its happening and it’s changing but that doesn’t mean that the youth is not going to survive here.” -Paulina Ruiz

“Trying to stay cool in this fucking heat.” - Jason Rosen from Smoke Season

“Just by having fun, having a good time.” - Melanie Robles

Window Flowers: The Thrift Store Find That Made the Record

August 17, 2018 by Luck Reunion in Music, News, Style

Liz Cooper and the Stampede just released their latest full length album, Window Flowers, last week and we can't get enough. All throughout this spring and summer tour - including their show at Luck Reunion - one thing has remained exactly the same: the technicolor floral jumpsuit Liz wears on stage. Now, with the release of Window Flowers, we see how the jumpsuit comes into play with her album art as well. Read below to hear Liz tell the tale of the jumpsuit, share her experiences with the album release, and expand on current life.

by Liz Cooper

Oh, the places this jumper has been…

But for real, who was the previous owner of this psychedelic pant-dress-thing and where has it been? I played a She Shreds showcase last year in Nashville opening for Bermuda Triangle and as soon as I heard those gals would be sporting Hawaiian shirts, I decided to join in on the fun and find myself something festive. The jumper found me, peaking out of a clump of pastels and strange textures in the corner of a local thrift store. There were no tags and no price so it became mine for a whopping thirty dollars as a joke. Since that show, the joke has become not a joke and it’s quickly taken over my life.

These days I’m hanging out in hotel lobby’s floating across America eating mushy continental breakfasts and drinking luke warm crappy coffee. The van rides are long and not far between but we keep ourselves entertained with good music, riddles, day dreaming and fun snacks. The road is a wild place filled with adventure and the jumper is a great ice breaker for old farmers and truck drivers at gas stations to give me that “damn hippy” look and ask me if I’m joining the circus. We ARE in our own circus I suppose.

When I’m home in Nashville I’m busy hanging out with my Pennock People, making art with Posture Dan and playing music with my friends in the East Nashville community. I’ve been writing a lot on the piano recently and am staying up far too late under the spell of the upright and my next door neighbors very bright and very fluorescent light shining in giving me a wiiiild hair. You can probably catch me at the salad bar at the Turnip Truck or chatting with my favorite cashier there who wears a pin that I relate to very much: I’m only smiling because I have no idea whats happening.

I’m finally sitting in my Nashville home relaxing after the craziness of our release show. Posture Dan and I, along with our lovely friends, Kate and Doug Hall and Abigail Dempsey succeeded in creating a flowery blue room wonderland for the release of our debut record, Window Flowers. We made at least 30 Home Depot trips to buy pvc piping, chicken scratch and infinite masking tape to make trippy flowers emulating my beloved jumper. So many friends joined in to help create this dreamland and it was all inspired by this dang flowery mystery jumper that has become part of me. It was all meant to be.

Images via lizcooperandthestampede.com

Looks at Luck 2018

March 18, 2018 by Luck Reunion in Style

There's no doubting Willie Nelson is synonymous with "legend" in many respects. Many titles have described Nelson over the years - "musician", "songwriter", "activist", even "actor", - and we'd like to argue that there's room for one more: "style icon". The braids, the bandana, the slim fit classic denim, the boots have all contributed to the classic country style that continues to find space in today's trends.

At Luck Reunion, our patrons, artists, and staff all take a note out of the book of Willie, Waylon, Johnny, and Merle not only through their love for music but also the way they dress. We caught some of the best looks at Luck this year that captured the resurgence of that classic 70s outlaw country style with a modern twist influenced by some of our wonderful vendors like Worth and Worth, Maker and Smith, and Ft. Lonesome. Fringe, boots, turquoise jewelry, tattoos, embroidery and chain-stitching, funky patterns, and denim ruled this year at Luck. As you’ll see in our gallery below, these wardrobe must-haves have stood the test of time throughout the decades and continue to be quintessential icons.

Curated by: Nicole Schimel Photos contributed by: Jentri Collello, Cal Quinn, James Joiner, Beth Bizer, Suzanne Cordiero, & Rett Rogers.

THE MAN BEHIND THE RING: MAKER & SMITH'S BRETT FOX

February 26, 2018 by Ellee Fletcher in Culture, Style

Each year, the Luck Reunion leaves participating performers with a commemorative ring – a token of our appreciation for joining us on our rogue musical pilgrimage – bearing what has become the official “Luck Family” crest. The thrill of seeing artists we love wearing our ring far outside of Luck, on stage or in a coffee shop, will never fade. With the Reunion around the corner there is no better time to share some background on the tradition, and the artist behind it.

It wasn't long before our 2016 Reunion that we decided to bringing this Family Ring idea to life. We needed to act fast but, more importantly, knew we had to be as discerning as our style-savvy artists would be when selecting the perfect accessory. So we tapped the incredible Brett Fox of Maker And Smith, who miraculously agreed to create our signature ring. Below, Fox takes us inside his process, inspiration, and the road to Luck.

Luck: Where did this all start for you? Were you always interested in this craft?

Fox: Well, ring making started later in life for me. I've always been into art. Didn't like to study as a school kid but loved drawing, painting, and sculpture. So I got through high school turning in drawings for homework. Teachers never really understood why I did poorly on tests. I attended the Heron School of Art in Indianapolis for 2 years before I dropped out and started working as a carpenter. My father and grandfather were both carpenters and I'd worked alongside them at a very early age. I always admired my grandfather's Masonic ring. I can still see it - worn edges, thinning band, repaired compass. It had been through a lifetime of driving nails, holding my grandmother's hand at lunch...it was powerful. I never studied jewelry making, but had worked at a small art bronze facility as a second job in the early 90's as I wanted to start casting some figure sculptures. I also got into shaping sheet metal and welding...so, in a way, I was gathering skill sets that would apply to ring making later.

I wanted a Keith Richards skull ring, and didn't know where to buy one; so I got a piece of wax from my sister-in-law, found a drill bit that was my ring size, and carved my first skull ring with carpenter tools.

Luck: Your designs have a distinctive style, and a lot of your work seems to draw on American iconography. Did you start with a specific vision or theme in mind? What are the biggest inspirations behind the brand?

Fox: I always have more ideas than I have time to execute. The early rings I carved were rings I wanted to wear myself. All of my rings are handcrafted, and there is an energy that goes into each one: carving, casting, finishing. I want the wearer to know that I care about what I am doing and that it is made by hand. I am proud of those tool marks. The rings should have character, something that will look better worn over time.

Most of my rings start with a quick sketch. However, some rings I just start carving and they reveal themselves along the way.

Music is the biggest inspiration behind the brand, along with making my family proud. I want my kids to see that you can put food on the table with something your passionate about. You have to work for it.

Luck: Maker And Smith is a favorite among musicians in the Americana world and beyond. How did you get involved in the music scene? Do you remember the first artist who caught on to your brand?

Fox: Music has always been a big part of my life: from hearing my dad sing Buddy Holly in the shower as a kid, to listening to the 8-track in my mom's Mustang (I'm dating myself). I went to bed listening to the radio. I drew listening to vinyl. In high school, my friends and I would head up to Market Square Arena and catch as many live performances as we could. All my after school work money went to buying vinyl and concert tickets.

Nikki Lane was the first to have me make merch for her brand, and is probably the reason I am making Luck Rings. Jenny Lewis had me make her band a LOVE's WAY ring - that was pretty cool. Tim Showalter from Strand of Oaks, Israel Nash, Hugh Masterson and Clint Culberson of MODOC have all had an impact on my brand. It's a thrill for me to have anyone understand my style and dig it enough to rock it.

Five minutes into Americana Fest in Nashville at the American Legion, you'll see an artist with a Luck ring on. That's the reward: artists digging artists.

Luck: When we started discussing a Luck Family ring, did you have a vision in mind off the bat? What about the Luck brand inspired the look and feel of the design?

Fox: Well, there wasn't a lot of time...haha. Matt Bizer had told me what you all were thinking about doing for the artists playing Luck 2016. I believe his exact words where “how CRAZY would it be if we had you make a bunch of rings for our artists at this year's Reunion?”. I sent a few rounds of sketches over and we finalized the design on the 24th of February - the event was on March 15th. I really liked the Luck logo and thought “well, if you're in Texas at Willie's ranch, you ARE a star.” So I added a star above the type. Yeah...it was crazy fun, and I am blessed.

Luck: Lukas Nelson is famously missing his ring (Luke, man, we need your ring size!). So once you get that one out of the way...who is the #1 artist you would love to wear your designs? Any bucket list customers?

Fox: Man, Luck has given me the opportunity to make rings for some beautifully talented people already. I am truly honored to have anyone wear a ring of mine and have made rings for some very talented musicians that I'm into. That's the best feeling, when an artist you really like really likes your work.

Bucket List: well, a special LUCK Godfather ring for Willie would be at the top of the list.

I just want to make cool rings for cool people - they all count for me.

But if Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Ryan Adams, Nathaniel Rateliff, or Dave Grohl wanted a ring by me... that would be crazy cool.

Luck: What's next for Maker And Smith? Any special projects or collaborations coming up?

Fox: I have a really cool collaboration at Luck this year with two other makers that I am really stoked about. They are crazy talented makers. Not sure I can reveal anything about that yet...

Beyond that, I would like to collaborate with more artists - add some Maker and Smith merchandise into their pre-sale game. I stay pretty busy with custom work and our website orders...growing the band.

Now, fans can have their own "Luck Square Ring", designed and handmade by Fox exclusively for the Luck Reunion. Maker And Smith has announced the Luck pre-sale, so head to www.makerandsmith.com/luck-reunion-1 for a chance to get yours. Those who order before Friday, March 2 will be able to pick up their ring at Luck Reunion on March 15.