Living in Edmonton means that, at some point of your life, you’ll be wearing a cowboy hat for a certain occasion. And during the days when you’re assigned that dress code, you may want to upgrade a boring outfit with a shiny gold and black enamel pin, featuring the cool Skull Cowboy.
Or, as designer Tracy Niven believes, “at least [masked country music star] Orville Peck would do that.”
When Niven started slinging prints and pins under Lonely Coyote at the Royal Bison fair in spring 2020, little did she know that this iconic Skull Cowboy pin would soon be spotted all around town.
“Good design always has a why,” shares Niven, who often draws inspirations from western landscapes and queer prairie life. Or, a good design could be a smart reference, like in Niven’s first risograph print: “Even Cowbois Get the Blues.”
Now two years into officially being a wannabe cowboy, Niven releases new designs in small batches on their website and at the Royal Bison. When you visit their vendor this winter, the first thing you’ll notice will be the shiny hologram stickers, then the violet Lavender Country cowboy boot print and the monogram bandanas.
And the next time you see a Skull Cowboy pin shine on a cool kid’s collar, why not try out a new greeting: “Howdy, Lonely Coyote?”
Shop cowboy-themed prints, pins and other accessories at Lonely Coyote.
This content was produced to support the Edmonton Made community. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Edify staff.
