AMERICANA? SERIOUSLY? NOW? Yes. Seriously. In the middle of all of the change, all the noise, the Americana brand is suddenly back. But, let’s be honest—it never really left. Still, look around. A cowboy hat in Osaka? Beyoncé in a dazzling Rhinestone Rodeo? A pair of violet Tecovas on the Champs-Élysées? And "Americana" is now up for grabs. So who will claim it? Somewhere along the way, the iconography of the American West slipped its borders. It’s no longer just truck stops and tumbleweeds. It’s Chicago subway platforms. Fashion week runways in Milan. Stadiums packed with people singing about Ford pickup trucks they’ve never driven. So, what’s going on? Why now? At SXSW, COLLINS – in partnership with Monotype – is bringing together creative voices and designers from the TV series Yellowstone, Tecovas, and Audiosocket. Well, and NASA, too. Because space cowboys count, especially. We're gathering at the mythic Arlyn Studios in Austin, Texas—the recording studios that Willie Nelson, Ray Charles and Miranda Lambert have called home. Among our speakers is Norm Clasen, the legendary photographer behind the original Marlboro Man campaign. His images didn’t just sell cigarettes. They sold a vision of America so potent that people are still buying it. But what about it still works? What’s changed? And what should? Expect good food. Expect strong opinions. Expect a room full of people who care about local and global culture enough to argue about it. A lot. Seats are scarce. In all honesty, they might be gone by the time you finish reading this. But please still sign up here: lu.ma/ok67408r. We’ll let you know. And if you still think Americana isn’t changing? Think again. It’s in the hands of new storytellers now—reclaimed, reimagined, rewritten. The question isn’t whether the cowboy rides again. It’s who’s in the saddle? .

We're stoked to be welcoming @Monotype on board as a Main Partner for #BDF2023. In addition to their generous support, you can hear from @PhilGarnham & Emilios Theofanous discuss their annual Type Trends report in a free event at BCU Read more & book 👇 birminghamdesignfestival.org…