Brooke Teixeira, our Senior Product Manager for Western Denim, is a quintessential cowgirl.

Despite growing up in a ranching and rodeo family, she didn’t always know she wanted to work in Western product merchandising. But soon after graduating from college, she found her way to Ariat and has been involved in launching some of our most successful Western boots and jeans.

Beyond being integral to Ariat’s product creation process, Brooke is making a name for herself in the Western world. This year, she was recognized as one of Cowgirl Magazine’s 30 Under 30, which honors 30 women under 30 years of age who have shown significant dedication to the Western industry.

Perhaps the most impressive part? Brooke has accomplished all of this while she and her husband raise their 1-year-old son, Hansen and pursue their passion of training horses, giving roping lessons and competing at a professional level.

We recently sat down with her to learn a little more about her role at Ariat, career in the Western industry, and how she brings your favorite Western denim styles to life each season.

What is your official title?

I’m the Senior Product Manager for Western Denim. I manage all Western denim launches for men, women, and kids.

How long have you been at Ariat?

I've been at Ariat for almost eight years.

During that time, I've worked on both footwear and apparel teams. This gives me a unique approach to working on denim because I'm so familiar with our shoe styles and footwear trends. When I'm working with a denim designer, I’m always thinking about how our denim styles will pair with our boots or other footwear styles like Cruisers and Hilos.

How did you get into Western apparel?

I grew up in a rodeo and ranching family and have competed in rodeos my whole life, moving up through the ranks from junior rodeo all the way to college rodeo. Now, I compete professionally as a breakaway roper. I love my job because it's so closely related to the life I live. Every day, I get to put on my own Ariat jeans that I helped create and go ride my horses and rope.

Congratulations on being one of Cowgirl Magazine's 30 Under 30! What was the experience like?

Thank you – it's such an honor. There are so many incredible and influential women in the Western space, and it’s special that Cowgirl Magazine brings these women together each year to meet and mingle. I made so many new, lifelong friends within this year's class of women.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I love collaborating with our denim designers to bring pieces to life. I start by giving the designers a big-picture idea of the styles we want to focus on for the season. Once they bring their designs back, I help select the details like the pockets or a wash for each piece we're working on. It’s so fun putting all these individual elements together to create beautiful garments for our customers.

What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

We launch new styles each season, so it can be a challenge to make sure we have something new for everyone that checks every box: trend-right, quality, durability, fit, comfort, etc. Everyone has a few pairs of denim in their closet, and we want ours to stand out.

What trends will we be seeing in Ariat’s upcoming denim launches?

Soon, you’ll see new women’s styles that deliver on the 90’s look that’s trending right now. We’re also launching styles that go after the mom-jean trend, more high-waisted styles, and some super wide-leg jeans – all with Western flair. For men, we’ll be expanding on some fits that are a little more snug and slim cut, to target that classic western consumer. The future of denim really lies in the crosshairs of blending old-school and new-school styles.

You can always count on Ariat for trend-right Western denim with unsurpassed quality, durability, fit and comfort.