For Thomas Rhett, the great outdoors is a source of peace and inspiration. This summer, the country star is teaming up with Chaco to channel his love for the outdoors into a collection of adventure-ready sandals.
On August 18th, Chaco will launch the third and final capsule in their collaborative sandal collection with Thomas Rhett. Dubbed “The Big Sky Country Collection,” the new entry pays homage to the vast landscapes of Montana — a place of escape and creative rejuvenation for Rhett. Colors are drawn from Rhett’s own photography of blue skies, wheat-colored grass, and roasted sunsets in Montana.
Like the collaboration’s previous launches, The Big Sky Country Collection will include a Chillo slide in a men’s and a women’s colorway, as well as a men’s Z/1 Classic Sandal and a women’s Z/2 Classic Sandal. Priced at $105 for the Classics and $60 for the slides, the sandals will be available to purchase at Chacos.com.
“All of these sandals represent a moment that is a memory of mine,” says Rhett, in a press release. “The print that made it on this sandal is the epitome of peace to me. Every time I feel like I’m looking too far into the future I’m reminded to be where my feet are and all that really means is to just be present.”
The Big Sky Country Collection follows the Boulder Collection, which was inspired by Rhett’s love for fly-fishing in the Boulder River, and the subsequent Reflections Collection.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Rhett discussed his longtime appreciation for Chaco footwear: “I started wearing Chaco in high school to summer camp, and that’s all me and my friends wore in college, and that’s all I’ve worn through my life,” remembers the singer. “And even getting into fly fishing, they’re just the perfect all outdoor shoe that you can take on hikes, take in the water, spray them off, put them in the washing machine. They’re the all-terrain tire of shoes to me, and I don’t really go anywhere without them.”
Chaco’s team, meantime, is equally excited about the launch. “We’ve known that Thomas has been a Chaco fan for a while, and we are thrilled to be partnering with him on this collection,” says Chaco Marketing Director, Jamie Kirby. “Our team had a lot of fun working with Thomas to design unique patterns that represent some of his favorite outdoor memories, and we hope they will inspire others to get outside as well.”
Back in April, Rhett released Country Again: Side A, the first disc in a double album (the second of which is due out later this year). The album, composed of songs written and recorded during the Covid pandemic, is another expression of Rhett’s connection with nature, as well as a meditative self-reflection.
Rhett is also bringing an element of philanthropy to his collaboration with Chaco. Ten percent of all sales will be donated to One Love International, an organization providing medical care to children in Uganda. Rhett’s wife, Lauren Atkins, serves on the organization’s Board of Directors, and the couple’s eldest child Willa Gray is from Uganda.