Miron Crosby Co-Owners On Inspiration, Style And Their First Aspen Boutique

Luxury cowboy boot brand Miron Crosby expands west with the arrival of its second-ever storefront in downtown Aspen.

Miron Crosby co-owners and sisters Lizzie Means Duplantis and Sarah Means

As the dust settles on the brand’s second storefront, the 2,000-square-foot studio embodies a complete Western wonderland that pays homage to co-founders and sisters Lizzie Means Duplantis and Sarah Means’ roots. Contemporary-chic interior design melds with the brand’s fashion-forward aesthetic to showcase a space full of texture, color and unique architectural elements. Think dusty rose statement walls, black steel shelves, stark marble tables, lush green foliage and personal family touches. “We’re wrapping the dressing room in a wallpaper that is pulled from the landscape of our ranch in West Texas,” says Means. “So that is very neat and special to us.” Alongside the boots, the store boasts an abundance of space to shop, create custom boots and mingle. “We love to have people come into the store to have a couple of Topo Chicos and hang out,” adds Means Duplantis. “We have a great space for customers to sit and visit.” Just two months after the store’s grand opening, we caught up with the dynamic duo to talk about their expansion west, lessons learned along the way and what Aspenites can expect from this bespoke boutique.

Let’s talk about the inspiration behind the brand.

LMD: Sarah and I grew up in West Texas on our family’s cattle ranch outside of Marfa, and because we were ranch kids, boots were always very much a part of our aesthetic. Fast-forward to a few years later, we both landed in New York and we wore our boots everywhere. It was very much a part of our wardrobe and our heritage. Our cousins own our factory in South Texas where everything is domestically produced and handmade, and because of our relationship with them, they would allow for Sarah and me to play with colors, fabrications and create our own boots. When people would stop us on the street and ask where they could get them, we couldn’t send them anywhere because we designed and built them at our cousins’ farm as favors, so that’s where the idea for the business started to bloom. A couple of years later, we got really serious about it, and we launched Miron Crosby in June of 2017.

With no detail overlooked, the boutique pays homage to the sisters’ childhood cattle ranch showcasing rich textures, pops of color and vintage accessories.

What has been one of the most surprising lessons you’ve learned while building your brand?

LMD: This sounds really basic, but we talk about it all the time: You just have to start. You have to start throwing things at the wall and see what sticks. And if you believe in your product and believe in the story behind it, it will gain traction. I think the most surprising thing has been the response for us, which we have been so grateful for. People are excited about our boots and our business continues to grow in really impressive ways, and I think that’s all because of our conviction that we’re bringing to market a really bespoke, handmade-produced, heirloom-quality product that can’t be duplicated.

Why was Aspen the perfect location for your second store?

SM: We’ve been taken aback by the variety of people that have responded to our boots, and that’s so fun. We got really serious about growing our business after we made it through the pandemic and decided that a second store made the most sense. While doing research, we looked into where our online customers and people who loved the boots were, and Aspen was such a clear answer for us. We’re so excited for our second location because Aspen is such a cool community. It’s one of the most special places when you take into account the confluence of locals and its visitors. We are huge believers in our business’ hospitality, so being able to spend a lot of time in the store with our boots on the ground in Aspen is so exciting for us.

How would you describe the Aspen style?

SM: Frankly, I think it’s kind of the core value of our style. From a date night or black-tie event to getting on a plane or going into the office, I always feel like it’s for somebody that could be going anywhere. There’s sort of the gambit there, but there’s always a little element of something Western, and that is what I think resonates with us specifically: a reverence for the classic and a respect for it, but also an excitement for the modernity. It’s very much our aesthetic—wear what you would normally wear, but instead of a sneaker, throw on a cowboy boot. We want you to be perfectly comfortable and in your wardrobe because the boots will totally [work] in your wardrobe.

What are some of your current favorite pieces?

LMD: During the pandemic when things were closed, Sarah and I went back to our ranch and we worked on inspiration for fresh delivery. We were really affected by all that was going on in the world—not only with COVID but the Black Lives Matter movement was also coming to a head at that time—and one of the boots we created was a midi that literally says ‘Love’ on it. It’s completely in black and white, and we felt is was a hope for healing and yearning for fellowship again. That boot just debuted in our collection, and we brought it back in a fresh colorway of melon and hot pink, and it’s really fun, but I love the sentiment behind it and how we got to it.

What collections are offered at the store?

SM: We will carry our full collection of women’s and men’s and then a curated selection of our children’s boots. We’ll have a few pieces of sterling silver barwear and giftables from Comstock Heritage, an amazing silversmith from Reno, Nev. 520 E. Cooper Ave., Unit 1A