Month: November 2026

In a recent discussion with master bootmaker Korbinian Ludwig Hess (klh-massschuhe.com), the topic of the ‘original’ and truly ‘authentic’ cowboy boot came up. One thing I find quite amazing: In a time where everybody seems to wear sneakers with fast fashion, the art of the traditional cowboy boot is very much alive and kicking.

Back in the 1990s, I had my boots made by Pablo Jass in Lampasas, Texas. These are the sturdiest boots for working cowboys you will ever see. Pablo made three pairs for me, and it looks like I will NEVER wear them out. You can see them on my ABOUT ME page.

Pablo started working for bootmaker Ray Jones in 1970, became his foreman, and eventually took over the boot shop. Aside from the pullstraps, Pablo‘s boots are exactly like the ones Ray Jones made in the 1950s.

What I hear is that Pablo has become quite a celebrity and these days you have to wait years to have a pair of Jass boots made.

Back then, you would just give him a call, drive out to his workshop in Lampasas and have yourself measured. And it was a good idea to call upfront, otherwise you would run the risk of seeing a ‘Gone Fishing’ sign on his door. (For the record, Galerie filmposter.net shares that attitude. Over the day I’m usually at the shop, unless I’m not. So it’s always a good idea to give me a call or send me a message before you come by.)

At some point, Pablo also had his own website: One page, one photo, his address and phone number, and one sentence: All Orders are done at the Shop.

Those were the days, my friend…

My first custom-made dress boots were made by Little’s Boot Company in San Antonio, Texas, also in the 1990s. Owner Dave Little died in 2018, and now his daughter Sharon is running the business. Little Boots was founded in 1915, but it was Dave who moved the business from traditional cowboy footwear to the high-end custom-made dress boot manufacture that made them famous. For truly top-end dress boots deeply rooted in tradition, the Little Boot Company is still a top recommendation.

Lee Miller is still running Texas Traditions in Austin. With both Pablo Jass and Little Boots, I booked immediate appointments and received my boots in about three months. Even back in the 1990s, Lee Miller had a waitlist of three years. His prices would seem reasonable by today‘s standards, but they were nothing short of brutal back then. My first pair of Jass boots cost me $600, and my Little Boots with seven rows of stitching were priced at $750. From I what heard, Texas Traditions was starting out at $1,500.

Now young guns like Graham Ebner (grahamebner.com) carry on the tradition. A former apprentice at Texas Traditions, Graham has only been around for a few years, but has already made a very good name for himself with his artistically outstanding, yet extremely traditional work. Like the Postercowboy, Graham likes dark sunglasses. Always a good sign.

And of course, there is Korbinian Ludwig Hess in Berlin, who has been catering to my cowboy boot needs for a number of years now. Our first mutual project was a pair of roper boots. Which in fact were the first cowboy boots Korbinian ever made. I still wear them frequently and I absolutely love them, both for their style and comfort.

These days, Korbinian is my favorite bootmaker in the whole wide world. There, I said it.
Part of it has to do with the simple fact that he‘s in Berlin, of course. Another part is that he‘s incredibly talented, extremely passionate, and absolutely open-minded.

But perhaps the most important aspect is this: Unlike all the other master bootmakers I mentioned, Korbinian is NOT part of the cowboy boot tradition.

Being an outsider, nobody ever expected him to create a ‘perfect traditional cowboy boot’.

Let me give you an example: An integral part of the traditional cowboy boot anatomy is the spur ledge. This is a little rim that runs around the heel. Absolutely essential if you‘re riding a horse, definitely not necessary when your boots are made for walking.

When Korbinian started to make cowboy boots for me (and very soon after, for other clients as well), I have a feeling that he didn‘t have a clue what a spur ledge even is. He certainly did not know why you would want to have it on a walking boot.

Which in turn means he never even had to think about integrating a spur ledge or not. Instead, he could focus on what he does better than almost anybody else: Building some of the most elegant dress boots you will ever see.

Here’s the last pair Korbinian made for me:

This boot is based on a Charlie Dunn design from the 1950s, that was inspired by the West Texas Plains. (The 7“ single you see in the back was the first release on my short-lived Rockin‘ H Records label. More on that some other day. Maybe.)

Often called the ‘Michelangelo of Cowboy Boots’, Charlie was not only a legendary bootmaker, but also quite a character. His Wikipedia entry is very much worth reading.

Charlie’s work is now continued by Lee Miller of Texas Traditions in Austin, TX. Lee made a pair of these for Willie Nelson back in 1992 and was kind enough to forward us the original design drawing. We even used the exact same leather, from the same tannery, that Willie’s boots were made of.

These photos were taken at Texas Traditions back in 1992. Thanks again for sharing, Lee!

If you look closer, you will notice something else: While both boots show the exact same design, they also show the personal handwriting of their respective maker.

But that’s the point of being an Outsider: As a custom bootmaker from Germany, Korbinian is not bound by tradition. His boots absolutely honor and respect the tradition, but they are also very much KLH.

Next week, we will take a deeper look into the Outsider Nerd phenomenon.

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