LAUNE x 1991 Boots
1991 Boots captures a distinctly American take on Western style, drawing from vintage pieces, life outdoors, and the spirit of the American West. With a focus on timeless boots and a love for all things worn-in, it feels rooted in tradition while still distinctly its own. Below, founder Kirah, shares more on the style, places, and Western influences behind the brand.
1. Tell me about yourself and 1991 Boots.
I’m Kirah Perle, a creative director, photographer, graphic designer, and the founder of 1991 Boots. I grew up in Colorado with a deep love for horses, fashion, and art. My career began in graphic design and creative direction, eventually leading me into the Western fashion industry and, ultimately, to designing my own line of cowboy boots.
I founded 1991 after recognizing a gap in the market for women’s boots that felt authentically Western while still being feminine, modern, and timeless. Every boot begins with one of my hand-drawn sketches and is handcrafted by skilled bootmakers in León, Mexico, using traditional techniques and high-quality materials made to last.
1991 creates timeless cowboy boots and western wear inspired by romance, nostalgia, and the enduring beauty of the Western way of life. Our collections are intentionally produced in limited quantities and designed to be worn for decades, not just a season.
At its heart, 1991 was born from a deep appreciation for the American West—not the version created for a fashion campaign, but the one lived every day by women who rise before sunrise, work with their hands, and carry themselves with strength, grace, and quiet confidence.
2. What is the LAUNE (mood) of 1991 Boots?
Old ranch ephemera, wind in the hair, grainy film, warm light, horses, old cars, country homes, rustic barns, prairie fields, river days, the rocky mountains, well-worn denim, rodeo dust, leather saddles, slow sundays, natural light, western grit, lace and leather, dainty country floral patterns and vintage nostalgia.
3. What inspires you?
Moments on the saddle overlooking prairie fields and mountain scapes, picking wildflowers and braiding horse hair. I find beauty in dusty barns and tack rooms, wood-paneled ranch houses, worn boots by the door, sweat-stained cowboy hats, weathered spurs, and old Western art. Diving through antique shops, old western books, and 90’s fashion editorials. I’m equally inspired while searching through antique shops, collecting vintage Western books, revisiting the timeless storytelling of ’90s fashion editorials, and listening to old country music and reading cowboy poetry that captures the romance, loneliness, and beauty of the West.
4. What does the creative process look like?
I think it changes day to day, but music is a huge part of my creativity. Once I have some good tunes locked in I can design and create anything. Lately, if I need inspiration, I look to Substack, I just love that it's so much more than scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, it’s more of a story telling platform and is so curated, grounded, mature and wonderful. It also helps me to see what trends are happening in the fashion industry and what brings people joy in their lives, so when I immerse myself in an aesthetic or mood then I’m able to design better. I’m a very visual and feeling person, so I really need to feel things before I can create something meaningful.
5. How do you want people to feel when they wear 1991 Boots?
I want women to feel as though they are wearing a treasured heirloom—something beautifully handcrafted that feels like a rare vintage find discovered in an antique shop. I want each pair to feel special and personal, like a piece no one else has. At the same time, the boots should be comfortable, timeless, and easy to make your own, whether they are worn with vintage Levi’s or Wranglers, or paired with a delicate dress for a special occasion. More than anything, I want a woman to feel comfortable, confident, and completely herself in 1991 boots.
6. What’s next for you and 1991 Boots?
Right now, I’m expanding 1991 beyond boots and beginning to develop clothing, wild rags, and other pieces that can be offered through wholesale. This next chapter will help us grow the brand and fund the more ambitious pieces I’ve always dreamed of creating. I would love to design dresses, denim, and beautiful cotton staples that feel nostalgic, feminine, and inspired by life in the countryside. Let’s just say… cough, cough—1991 Country is coming soon. <3
Rapid Fire:
1. Describe your style in three words.
American, vintage, thrifted.
2. Dream collab?
DOEN or Ballerina Farm!
3. What are three staple items that every closet should have?
A good pair of denim, either Levi’s or Wranglers, and a white cotton dainty shirt, a wild rag (silk scarf) and a pair of 1991 boots.
4. Favorite place?
In the saddle on the back of a horse.
5. Favorite restaurant?
The Buckhorn Exchange, it’s a piece of western history here in Colorado. It opened in 1893 by American scout Henry H. "Shorty Scout" Zietz. It held Denver's first liquor license (Liquor License No. 1). They have the first ever light up Coors sign ever created. They’ve hosted Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and even Annie Oakley. They actually have a buffalo mount that Teddy Roosevelt shot and killed himself, they have a gun Annie Oakley shot. The walls are covered in mounts and American wild west history.
6. Favorite drinks spot?
This one is in Montana but my recent favorite drink spot is at the Old Saloon in Paradise Valley. It was founded in 1902 and it sits in one of the prettiest valleys in the west and hosts incredible concerts in the summer time!
7. Favorite style icon?
Jane Birkin forever <3
8. Favorite movie?
The Notebook & Lonesome Dove
9. What are you loving right now?
The summer air, Montana, rodeos, Keith Whitley, the song Lost Boys by Phoebe Bridgers, vintage trucks, hammocking under the stars & fresh flowers in the barn. <3
LAUNE x 1991 Boots
LAUNE x 1991 Boots
