Photo by Natasha Wilson
SHINE A LIGHT
O Pioneer! Asia Hall’s Neon Cowboys Transforms Western Wear Using LED Details
Shiny details in westernwear typically stem from Dolly Parton–style sequins and metal hardware, but Asia Hall has become a pioneer in the category by creating illuminated LED-powered pieces through her Neon Cowboys brand.
She is also a country-music fan. The designer attended Stagecoach, the annual country-music festival hosted in Indio, Calif., in 2013 while also earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science. One year later, Neon Cowboys launched to satisfy a new demand.
“With country music, it’s synonymous with neon signs. I thought the audience needed neon cowboy hats to wear that look like a bar sign,” Hall said. “The next year I made 13 prototypes for my friends [for Stagecoach]. We had people chasing us and offering us $200 for one. That is when I realized people really wanted to own the art.”
The Neon Cowboys story also led Hall to create tour merchandise for Kasey Musgraves and design a harness worn by Beyoncé in artwork featured with her “Cowboy Carter” album. Whether Hall designs a custom piece for a celebrity, tour merchandise for a musician or mass-produced garments for consumers, she focuses on “elevating” LED fashion. Some pieces include a remote control that affords the ability to change the colors of the lights for customization across all price points, which range from $38 for accessories to $16,000 for couture.
Major names in the corporate world such as Cash App, Apple and Don Julio have also sought Hall’s expertise by commissioning Neon Cowboys goods.
“We are fashion-tech pioneers. We are leading the pack in innovation in terms of how lights can be integrated into daily life or for celebration on a regular basis,” said Hall. “We have the ability to do anything that has to do with lights—from tour merch to celebrity to e-commerce for mass production.”
