Growing up our world was magical. We were surrounded by art, whimsy, and creativity.”
–WillowCityMusic.com
Beecher Proch grew up in the Texas Hill Country, in a family he describes as “uber creative,” and he is no exception. Proch works in the production side of movies, most recently on the film “Unsung Hero.” He and his brother Ezra are the band Willow City, which at one time included siblings, Liza and Asa. He also designs and produces a line of repurposed denim wear. Along with fine leather handbags.
“I’m all about story. From a music and film standpoint, I love thinking about the stories behind every person in the audience,” he said. “Transplant that onto denim — I just love honestly thinking about the life each pair of jeans had before I got my hands on them.
Proch’s goods are carried at DISH, inside Carol Hicks Bolton Antiques, in Fredericksburg’s warehouse district. Bolton is Proch’s aunt, and he and his siblings are all connected to her retail ventures in one way or another.
“We grew up running around Carol’s stores. When I was 12, I’d spend Thanksgiving packaging people up at Homestead on Main Street,” Proch said.
Now that the siblings are grown up, they still contribute to the family business.
“Everyone is wearing 10 different hats. We’re doing social media, we’re moving furniture. Everybody is doing every job,” he said.
Proch divides his time among the points of what he calls his “travel triangle” — Nashville, Miami (where the record label is headquartered), and Fredericksburg.
It was movies that led to music. Proch’s brother Ezra was cast in the film adaptation of “Seven Days in Utopia: Golf’s Sacred Journey,” which was written by family friend David L. Cook. That casting led to more films in other locales. Proch recalls that after shooting every day in Santa Fe, the cast and crew would sit around the campfire, pull out their instruments, and jam.
Not long after that, the four Proch siblings did a show at a Relay for Life event at Hondo’s in Fredericksburg, and, as Proch explains, “It snowballed.”
For several years he focused exclusively on movies and music, but after Bolton’s husband, Tom, passed away in 2022, Proch pitched in with the family business in a grander way. “That’s what family’s for,” he said.
One of the ways he contributes is with his denim line.
“The denim came about because I designed a funky, quirky pair of jeans to wear on stage because I didn’t want to be basic,” Proch said. “I’d get asked at shows where I found my jeans. I told them I made them.”
Proch initially sourced jeans from thrift shops, but soon realized he needed a more reliable standard. He now works with a supplier in Los Angeles, which finds vintage, quality denim and resizes it. Proch’s venture repurposes clothes that might otherwise be tossed into landfills and turns them into fashionable jeans, jackets, and overalls. His sister, Liza, lends her artistic talent to an exclusive collection of painted denimwear within his line.
“I love thinking about the life a pair of jeans had before I got my hands on them. Who knows where it’s been — on Broadway, in the Badlands,” Proch said.
He’s also introduced two fine leather handbags. The Expedition Bag is round and roomy. The Essentials Clutch is designed to hold only the essentials: phone, wallet, keys.
“I honestly got tired of going with friends or my mom and sister to the grocery store or farmers market, and they were digging around in their purse for like five minutes for a credit card. What’s the answer to this crazy, huge purse situation? What if there’s a simple solution, but it’s still stylish and elegant?” Proch said. “Then my uncle brought home from France an old French artillery bag. I took the bag, made some modifications. It took two years to design and have it made. We’re having it produced in small batches.”
Proch donates a percentage of sales to organizations that fight human trafficking, including Saving Innocence and O.U.R.
“We know a lot of people in that space. And we wanted there to be a greater purpose than recycling clothing, although a lot of people are really into that,” he said.
All Proch’s endeavors are united under the theme of putting out work that is excellent and beautiful.
“The world needs more beautiful things. As a Christian, in creativity I believe that we emulate our Creator. So it deserves some thought and some effort,” he said.
And that includes telling stories with denim and leather.
“I get to put my touch on it, give it a new home to continue living out that story,” he said. “I love telling stories than empower and influence people to live better lives.”
Proch’s denim and handbags can be found at DISH, and the line is also carried at Lonesome Pine Home in Hemphill and online at beecherproch.com.