A Boot Collector Feature
A Texas A&M horticulture student who apprenticed four years under Lee Miller at Texas Traditions, then launched his own shop building boots covered in UFOs, wildlife, and landscapes instead of roses.
Graham Ebner was born in Katy, Texas, and grew up sewing alongside his quilter grandmother while studying horticulture at Texas A&M — a degree he didn't end up using. Bootmaking pulled him in instead: he landed a four-year apprenticeship at Texas Traditions in Austin, studying directly under Lee Miller, who himself trained under Charlie Dunn. Ebner started as a shop sweeper and worked his way up to specialized tools like the lip knife.
He made his first pair in 2018 as a surprise gift for his wife after she finished a coding boot camp in New York, and launched his own independent shop in 2021. Each pair takes 120-plus hours of entirely hand-done stitching, crimping, nailing, and construction — complex designs can run eight weeks.
Boots as original artwork rather than traditional Western motifs — UFOs, wildlife, and landscapes replace the roses and eagles more typical of the trade. Ebner has a firm rule against Bible verses, crosses, corporate logos, or sports teams on his work, keeping every design genuinely original. "I want to show people that cowboy boots are not this ugly, uncomfortable thing that people wear in Texas when they go to the dance hall," he's said of the approach.
Custom boots as original artwork, trained at one of Austin's legendary shops.
Pairs from smaller, custom, or long-closed makers rarely come up for sale, so this search may not find anything. It’s worth checking back now and then.