Brooklyn, Who? This Season It's All About Those Country Western Vibes

The wild frontier is back -- but this time there's a lot more to it than boots and boleros. Take indie darling Christopher Owens, who embraces his teen years spent in Amarillo, Texas, on his sensational country- and gospel-infused second album, A New Testament (out September 30 on Turnstile). "I've always liked the Western and country sound and the mythology of the pioneer and cowboy," he explains. "But after living in California (home of his beloved retro-rock band Girls), I realized I had a special experience in Amarillo." Just over the Texas border, NOLA rocker Benjamin Booker is working up a rootsy ferocity that could start a mosh pit at the local barn dance. And in the fashion world, Levi's celebrated the 80th anniversary of their women's jean with an editor event at an Arizona dude ranch; Chanel hosted a pop-up store in Aspen that showcased the brand's "Paris-Dallas" collection; and Coach's newly appointed executive creative director, Stuart Vevers, is tapping into the brand's all-American DNA with a debut fall collection of fringed handbags, blanket coats and riding boots. Clearly, down home is the new downtown.