Big Tex will be sporting some new boots at the State Fair of Texas this fall, and now we know who gets to help design them. This year’s winner is Aaliyah McNeal, who grew up around the corner from Fair Park and attended the fair every year growing up.
McNeal is 31 years old now and currently lives in Suwanee, Georgia. She says her design is just as symbolic as it is fashionable, blending the classic Texas icons you know and love with meaningful elements that pay homage to the fair itself.
“Key Texas symbols come together to create the embellishments at the heart of my design. From a distance, sweeping patterns mimic the rich textures of genuine leather, accented by pops of red and blue in honor of the Texas flag. Up close, you’re met with Texas-sized icons that immediately draw the eye, including a longhorn, bluebonnets, pecan trees, prickly pears, and even the iconic 212-foot-tall Texas Star Ferris Wheel,” said McNeal.
The Big Tex Boot Design Contest gave fairgoers the chance to design the biggest, most iconic pair of boots in the Lone Star State. Receiving nearly 450 entries, competing artists ranged in age, with Fair fans from coast to coast submitting their best illustrations, hoping to earn a finalist spot…