A local stylist is putting a fresh spin on Western wear, blending his deep ranching roots with bold, modern style. See how Black History is creating a lasting impact in North Texas. NBC 5’s Brittney Johnson has the story.
When you think of Texas and cowboys, what comes to mind? Boots, hats, and dusty trails? One North Texas man is putting a fresh spin on traditional Western wear, blending his family’s deep ranching roots with big-city style.
His name is D. Rich. And his colorful, one-of-a-kind outfits are turning heads and changing perceptions.
He and his friends coordinated in hues of pink, bringing a pop of color to the Cowboys of Color event at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
“I want you to get a good look at these boots,” D. Rich said proudly. “It’s just an expression of who I am, from the hat to the shades to the boots.”
A celebrity barber and Western wear stylist, D. Rich’s flair for fashion caught the attention of Jim Austin, co-founder of the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum.
“He’s promoting Western culture to minorities,” Austin said.
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Austin’s mission is to educate the public about the diverse groups that helped settle the West.
“The history of the forgotten cowboys,” Austin explains. “Most people don’t realize that one-fourth of cowboys were Black, Hispanic, and Native American.”
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Austin invited D. Rich as his guest to the rodeo event.
“Well, D. Rich is a legend in his own realm, letting them know that it’s world-class to dress up and be part of Western history,” Austin said.
But it’s not just about special events; Western GQ is D. Rich’s everyday style. Inside his barbershop, every detail, from floor to ceiling, tells part of his story.
“As a kid, I grew up in the city,” he said. “But my dad grew up in Malakoff, Texas.”
The family ranch has been passed down for over 250 years, and every year, they continue traditions like feeding cows, taking care of horses, and baling hay.
“When we grew up, cowboy hats and boots were associated with country living—the dust, the smell, the muddy boots,” he said. “But for me, being fashionable, I said, ‘Hey, I’m going to take my modern fashion and combine it with Western style.’ That’s what I call Western GQ.”
From designing outfits to styling friends, D. Rich said his attire sparks conversation.
“This is a quick history lesson,” he shared. “The name ‘cowboy’ goes back to the days of slavery when owners would tell the boys to go get the cows—‘Go get that cowboy.’ And so, they would go out and hustle the cows.”
“That’s how they got the name ‘cowboys.’ They took pride in it,” he said. “When people say, ‘That’s not for us, it’s for them,’ I give them a heritage message to let them know, it’s OK. A lot of our forefathers and parents grew up on farms. That’s how we were raised. Today, you can take that same style and magnify it.”
Above all, he hopes to inspire others to embrace their history and express themselves.
“Like I tell people, it’s about your own personality,” he said. “Because everybody has their own type of uniqueness. I just encourage everybody to be their own type of beautiful.”
Looking ahead, D. Rich is planning to bring Western wear fashion shows to North Texas. He also styles people for fundraisers and shares his encounters with extraordinary Texans on his Western GQ YouTube channel.
