AQHA Magazine September / October 2020 | Page 23

PG.21
ARTICLE BY: JODIE ADAMS © 2020 V PHOTOS BY: JAYMEE SOLOMON PHOTOGRAPHY
MODELS: STEPH MCCARTHY, DIXIE MCCARTHY, LEXI MURRAY, KIMBERLEY GREENWOOD & REBECCA DINES
Australia’s home of “Fashion with Twang”, Dixie Lane has access to the same
suppliers as the hottest American Western Boutiques, they source the latest and greatest
available in the market and bring it across the pond so you don’t have to.
TAKE A STROLL DOWN
Dixie Lane
Steph McCarthy saw an opening in the clothing
market for western style couture that could only
be purchased online. Steph didn’t grow up in the
horsey or Rodeo world but always admired it.
Just a simple small town girl who had a love of
the country lifestyle and modern western inspired fashion
who followed her dream, starting a business catering for
the country gals and has now begun branching out into
kids and men’s apparel, with plans to expand their range
even further.
“Our focus is on providing unique modern western, boho
and on-trend fashion, accessories and jewellery for the
Country gals, Sheilas, Cowgirls and all women of Australia.
Not forgetting the cowboys and cowkids, we’re working on
including them into more of our collections so we can cater
for the whole family. Since starting Dixie Lane, I have learnt
so much and developed a deep and exciting love for western
fashion and helping to expand the industry in Australia. I have
embraced and furthered my own personal style and along with
that my self confidence has soared. I want that for all women!
I am grateful to have been welcomed into the family of the
Australian western industry,” said Steph.
“I’ve always been business minded and known from an
extremely young age that I wanted to run my own company
one day. Our local town ‘in particular’ had nothing to offer
between the Saddlery apparel and the larger chain stores.
I wanted to offer western ‘fashion’ at a reasonable price.
Probably my biggest drive is to stock unique and statement
pieces that aren’t already readily accessible in the Australian
Western fashion market. I pride myself on researching and
discovering new brands and items that are not carried by
other stores and introducing them to the Australian Western
Fashion market.”
“Towards the end of 2017, came a point where I had to change
my career and I was also turning 30 the following year. I made
the decision that it was now or never to take the plunge to start
something new. I was currently working in a town with
no clothing store and the idea started from there to open a
boutique. I’d never ever considered myself fashionable at all
and western fashion wasn’t really something I’d even heard
of, I just liked what I liked. Bright, colourful, leopard print,
leather and loved glitter and sparkles – I’ve always felt I
had pretty ‘out there’ or unusual taste but rarely had the
confidence to wear it, until now. As a teenager I loved shirts
with smart arse sayings and nothing has really changed, now
I’m building my company on it!”
“During my planning process I went to visit a best friend who
was in the rodeo world. I showed her some of the pieces I
wanted to source for the store and she suggested I buy a gazebo
and do a popup shop at the barrel races and rodeos. Over the
coming weeks plans evolved to start as a mobile pop-up shop
before going into a store to help with overheads starting out
and spread the word. So Dixie Lane was created and fun fact -
It’s named after my 2 children Lane - 8 & Dixie - 7.”
“I decided to do a practice run and I held a ‘preview’ at
Ashford Show, followed by our Grand Opening at Inverell
Show a week later in Feb 2018. The response was more than
I initially imagined and from then on I’ve been hooked! We
soon started booking events and getting booked by event
holders within weeks to take the pop-up to multiple shows and
events. I soon out grew the back of my car and then two cars.
I purchased an old caravan that we partially renovated to take
on the road, carting the store and for accommodation. With
the expansion of our range the poor old van was struggling to
haul us around and in June 2019 I upgraded to a new 3 HAL
Float to get us about.”
“Our events have included small town ag shows for our local
district and beyond, Rodeos, local festivals, Barrel Races and
equine events to large scale festivals such as Deni Ute Muster,
we usually attend around 25 events a year. Our Calendar is
extensive and always growing having us travelling further and
to more events each year.”
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ISSUE 2020