Pulling inspiration from his own cowboy lifestyle, Cole Hauser has launched a collection of unique Westernwear with Lucky Brand.
“I’m not the kind of guy to slap my face on a brand. I have to really believe in it,” actor Cole Hauser told C&I while discussing his newest venture. The Yellowstone star made his way to the CoolSprings Galleria in Franklin, Tennessee, on December 3, 2024, to celebrate his venture into the fashion world with the launch of his Westernwear collaboration with Lucky Brand. An apparel brand specializing in an authentically American style that celebrates the Western way of life, Lucky fits Hauser to a T, as became evident when he talked about the collaboration.
The collection, which officially launched on October 10, 2024, features a blend of utility and style, which is right in line with Hauser’s own personal taste. “I want something that is comfortable,” he told C&I. “I want to be able to rope in it. I want to be able to cut in it. It’s all about comfort. I’m not trying to make a big fashion statement. I just want to look the way I’m supposed to look wearing clothes.”
While Hauser was announced as the face of Lucky Brand in November of 2023, the actor’s connection with the brand goes back decades. “I’ve been wearing Lucky Brand since I was a kid,” he said. “My mom got me a pair of Lucky Brand jeans, and I wore them so much that I wore the knees out. Then, my mom cut the legs off and made them shorts.” It’s this sort of rugged innovation that Hauser hopes to capture in this 20-piece collection.
This isn’t just an “inspired by Cole Hauser” collection — that’s not the kind of guy he is. Working closely with Lucky Brand designers, he ensured that each piece fit the Americana aesthetic he wanted to achieve. “That classic Americana style is very important for me and definitely something I wanted to infuse into the pieces,” he told C&I. “I had a very particular vision in mind. There were times when I’d be in the room with [the designers] going, ‘no, it needs to look exactly like this.’”
Hauser’s particular vision makes for a distinctive collection, from classic Western work shirts to edgy bomber jackets — all with that slightly edgy classic cowboy vibe.
Inspired by Western icons such as Paul Newman and Gene Hackman, Hauser’s main focus as a designer was to allow cowboys to be cowboys in clothing that would support their rough and rugged lifestyle. Many pieces in the collection seek to elevate Western classics with higher-quality manufacturing and style elements — one example is his Lucky take on classic boot-cut straight jeans.
“A lot of people think that in order to keep jeans in good condition, you have to starch the shit out of them. And that’s not true. I wanted a good pair of jeans that are comfortable and practical for cowboys,” Hauser said.
The collection also offers a variety of twill Western shirts with Hauser-approved comfort levels. “I don’t think there’s anything more comfortable than a button-down Western shirt,” he said.
Does Cole Hauser have a favorite in his own collection? “The quilted jacket. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it on the shelves lately. It’s so versatile. You can wear it in 70 degree weather, and you can wear all the way down to 30 degree weather if you just button it up.”
Many of the pieces are versatile enough to dress up for a night on the town or dress down for a day on the ranch.
Speaking of a day on the ranch, Hauser’s Yellowstone character has become quite a fashion icon of his own for his individualistic approach to style. “Rip’s got a uniform. He wears the same thing every day, and that was something I wanted for the character,” Hauser told C&I. “I’ve been in wardrobe fittings and have gone, ‘I’m not going to wear that, because it’s not comfortable.’” While Hauser’s Lucky Brand collection branches out quite a bit from Rip’s all-black look, it follows the same cowboy code of function and fashion.
While comfort and functionality are the name of the game in Western fashion, there are a few fashion don’ts to avoid. Hauser shared a personal pet peeve: “I probably shouldn’t say it, because a lot of people do it. When men wear tight jeans with cowboy boots over them. You’ve gotta get some boot-cut jeans and wear the boots with those. It just looks right.”
No surprise that with their shared love of nature and classic Americana style, Hauser and Lucky have come up with an entire collection that has the right stuff. “I’ve worn everything, all the brands,” he told C&I. “What I love about Lucky Brand is not only that Western feel but that classic Americana that I don’t think is very common in mainstream fashion right now.”
With his Free Rein coffee brand and his new Lucky fashion venture already to his credit, will Hauser set out on another expedition of entrepreneurship? “I think I got my hands full right now. I like to put 100 percent into the projects I do,” he said. “My wife is like, ‘I love that you’re doing this, but maybe it’s time to pull back a little bit.’ I’ve got enough going on that I’m still able to put 100 percent into each thing.”
Cole Hauser’s Lucky Brand collection is available at luckybrand.com/colehauser and at your local Macy’s or Dillard’s. Prices range from $39 to $499, and sizes range from S to XXL.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Lucky Brand
