Established Ropes in Fans With Its New Ride or Die Collection

By Amy Elliott | May 17, 2021

Remember when Western wear had a moment in, what was it, the late 1990s, early 2000s? Snap-front plaid button-downs and guitar straps à la Built by Wendy, vintage cowboy boots, trucker hats emblazoned with 1970s advertising, embroidered denim, with some rockabilly halter tops and prairie skirts for people who really wanted to be extra?

Ride or Die, the new collection from the Los Angeles–based line Established, is simultaneously nostalgic for this fashion moment and a fresh take on it. As imagined by founder and designer Nikki Erwin, the collection has a clear theme: country-western chic (think: rope motifs, bolo ties, horseshoes, and cowboy hats), all interpreted in the brand’s signature gold-forward, chutzpah-laced, diamond-encrusted, vaguely vintage, tomboy-sexy vocabulary.

“I’ve always been a huge country music fan—when I’m happiest, you can find me front row singing along to Shania Twain or George Strait and wearing my favorite pair of boots, a huge belt buckle, and a crystal-encrusted cowboy hat,” says Erwin. “I’ve had some of these motifs in my head for years now and finally put them all together in one place. This collection is definitely a little window into part of my personality, and being able to add in some fun details like leather on the bolo ties and bracelets as well as pearls featuring some down-home words really ties the whole ride or die lifestyle together.”

Established designer NIkki Erwin — *The designer at her birthday party in January 2020 (photo courtesy of @nikkiwhatnikkiwho)*

Glam and gritty juxtapositions abound—they’re an Established signature—and you can lasso some of that aesthetic with key pieces mixed in with your usual hardware or solo. Giddyap!