Boutique of the Week: Luther's

Our own, always-dapper Brian Carr joins us this week for a guest appearance. Enjoy. There are three essentials the modern man needs in an overnight bag. A toothbrush, deodorant, and a pair of Stronghold Denim from Austin's own Luther's.

Presiding over the northern edge of the hardest working strip of mannequins on South Congress,Luther's is more than a men's and women's clothing and accessories store, it is a philosophy.

Opened in March of 2009, the 600-odd sq. ft. boutique is the brainchild of owner Cory Moore who believes that Òimage is everything and brand integrity is paramount.Ó The principle that Òlife is complicated, your clothing options shouldn't beÓ is evident in every square inch of the store, which stocks what could best be described as motorcycle chic meets new vintage. Luther's carries T-shirts from brands like Harley-Davidson and Deus Ex Machina that literally drip testosterone. The lines are trim and clean, boasting bold motorcycle-themed graphics that invoke patron-saint Steve McQueen.

Pendleton original plaid shirts complement the Red Wing boots that line the walls, and fedoras dot the landscape at prices that are comparable to what you would expect from retailers like those at the Domain (only the merchandise here is twice as cool). As the exclusive carrier of Wolverine in Austin, Luther's stocks the 1000-Mile Boot in black and brown leather with an added manufacturer's guarantee of being the most comfortable boots you'll ever own.

In addition to jewelry from local musician Lou Ann Barton, sweaters and shirts from Indian Motorcycle, and Mak'r leather goods, the store is continually updating merchandise from around the globe and adding product lines that are difficult, if not impossible, to find anywhere in central Texas.

So what about that essential premium denim? Stronghold, the first manufacturer of jeans in Los Angeles back in 1895, specializes in selvage denim, which accounts for only 1% of all of the denim manufactured in the world. Luther's carries several fits and finishes of this unique interpretation of a classic that combines the trim of the original with the workmanship of jeans meant to last a lifetime, Òprobably even longer.Ó While these dark denim trousers can be pricey, they should be considered Òan investment, and not a novelty.Ó

With plans to debut an online shopping cart to its website in late November, Luther's takes another step towards offering its unique merchandise far beyond the confines of SoCo. For those that happen to prefer reality to say, a computer screen, the store will host a Wolverine party on December 11, 7-10pm with complimentary food and drinks along with a showing of the brand's forthcoming Spring 2010 collection. With all of that temptation, you may need to rethink the essentials in that overnight bag. The toothbrush will have to go. - Brian Carr

1200 S. Congress thelutherstore.com 442-7000 Mon-Sat, 10:30am-7pm; Sun, 11am-6pm