BY JACKIE CARADONIO
Actress Sabina Gadecki-Rich has played an ER nurse, a cult survivor, and everything in between, but her latest role, as founder and visionary behind the breakout Western-wear brand Cowboy Tears, is far more personal. What started as a meet-cute (Gadecki’s idea for her label sprang from the dust-mask bandana her future husband wore when they met at Stagecoach) grew into runaway success—and a deeply meaningful creative outlet honoring the places that have shaped her life, from Nashville to Los Angeles to New York City. Her latest capsule collection, inspired by Montana, created with local artist Casey Lutz, and launched in partnership with Montage Big Sky, is an homage to the cowgirl spirit that guides her with grit, grace, and gratitude every day. cowboytears.com
TIE ONE ON
“It doesn’t matter if I’m in the city or the country, you’ll almost always find me wearing a bandana. In Nashville, I’ll tie one around my neck. In New York City, I might knot one on my handbag. In L.A., I’ll braid one into my hair. I believe the cowboy bandana is one of the most versatile fashion staples around.”
FLORAL FLOURISH
“The throughline for all my bandana collections is the state flower: For Nashville, it was Tennessee’s bearded iris; New York, the rose; California, the poppy. I always collaborate with local artists to come up with the designs, so for Big Sky, I reached out to Casey Lutz to create a design that features the bitterroot flower and Spanish Peaks. It is quintessential Montana.”
IN A PICKLE
DENIM DOCTRINE
“I feel my most comfy in jeans and a T-shirt or denim shirt. Triarchy are my go-to jeans because they fit great and are plastic-free. I also love vintage. I have a few pairs that I inherited from my late father-in-law—Wranglers, Levi’s—and I practically live in them. They hug the hips perfectly. They have the wallet fade on the back pocket. I love that.”
CARRY-ON KIT
“I travel a lot between my two homes, in Los Angeles and Nashville, so my travel kit is pretty locked in. It’s important to keep healthy boundaries, so I always wear a baseball cap and my AirPods. I find it minimizes chitchat on the flight. And I’m of the age where a face mist is vital. My favorite is Osea.”
CLASSICS ONLY
“I’m a traditionalist when it comes to my Western wear—that means no sparkles or pink! I look to Ralph Lauren for a lot of my inspiration. I also love City Boots. Almost every pair of boots I own is from there. You can put on a pair for the first time and wear them at a festival all night.”
GOLD STANDARD
“I’m a big jewelry fan and I love to support small artisans. Bondeye out of New York has really edgy, cool designs. Established is a great brand that has a cowboy vibe, but it’s a little bit blingy, almost like costume jewelry. And I love KBH because everything is made from sustainable, recycled gold.”
Cowboy Tears X Montage Big Sky bandanas in cotton and Japanese silk are sold exclusively at the resort’s Pique boutique or online at shopmontage.com.