WHEN POST MALONE took the stage to accept his award for Pop/Rock Male Artist of the Year at the 2018 American Music Awards, the elaborately embroidered Jerry Lee Atwood suit he wore garnered as much attention as his ubiquitous face tattoos.
Raised on Hee Haw and inspired by legendary western-wear designers like Nudie Cohn, the Indy-based Atwood has assembled custom outfits for a celebrity clientele that includes Lil Nas X, Diplo, Nikki Lane, and David Harbour. That fancy rose-themed suit Ken Honeywell traditionally wears for Tonic Ball? Atwood’s.
Curious locals can learn more about the artist’s creative process through a new exhibit opening March 28 at the Eiteljorg Museum. Cowboy Couture: The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood spans more than a decade of the designer’s career. Although individual items have been displayed at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Graceland, and other venues, the Eiteljorg exhibit is Atwood’s first solo show—a project several years in the making.
“It’s really exciting to see it finally come together,” he says. “I’ve never had an opportunity to see this volume of my pieces all in one place at the same time. I’m looking forward to viewing the interpretation of my work through fresh eyes.”
“Working with Jerry has been a delight,” mentions Eiteljorg lead curator Bryn Foreman. “Neither of us has ever put a show like this together before, and I appreciate that he’s so knowledgeable, transparent, and gracious. It’s clear that he’s a very experienced collaborator, probably from the 20-plus years of custom tailoring under his belt.”
Atwood served as a barista, a hobbyist tailor, and an Indiana Repertory Theater costumer before founding Union Western Clothing in Indianapolis with business partner Joe David Walters in 2013. Each commissioned suit he makes takes about 120 hours from start to finish, and can typically cost anywhere from $2,500 to more than $8,000. The fact that Atwood is actually color-blind makes his vibrant creations all the more impressive.
In the Eiteljorg exhibit, visitors can expect to see a short documentary video, an interactive design studio, and a gallery highlighting Atwood’s signature creations. Other historic 20th-century Western clothing items have been sprinkled in for context.
“One of my favorite exhibit features is the sketches for Post Malone’s and Lil Nas X’s suits,” Foreman says. “My other favorite part is reading the stories associated with each of the suits that Jerry designed. Some of the wearers describe what the clothing means to them in their own words and tell some of the story behind its creation.”
Up next for Atwood is a slew of new commissioned work for wedding attire.
“Every other year or so, I’ll have a big influx of celebrity customers, and then I’ll have a year where it’s people who just want a cool suit to wear,” he says. “I feel like I’ve been really fortunate to make stuff for some pretty well-known people. If someone else I admire comes along, of course, I’ll be happy to make them something special.”
Cowboy Couture: The Fashion of Jerry Lee Atwood runs March 28 through August 2 in the Eiteljorg Museum’s Special Exhibitions Gallery; access is included with regular museum admission.
