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Luke Grimes is more than just a leading actor—he’s a true symbol of the American spirit. Renowned for his role as Kayce Dutton in “Yellowstone” and his own country music ventures, the star is now bringing his charismatic presence to Stetson as the new face of its Stetson Legend fragrance. Below, we chatted with Luke on his personal Stetson connections, ties to Western style, and why he’s finally started to wear cowboy boots.
Luke, you’ve become the face of Stetson’s fragrance Stetson Legend. What drew you to partner with Stetson?
It was brought to my attention that they were looking to partner with someone, and I thought it would be a great fit. The brand’s been a part of my life for my whole life, and I told them when I met with them that growing up, my dad wore Stetson. It was in my house. I know that smell very well, and it made sense. These days, more artists and athletes are partnering with brands, and so I started to think what kinds of brands make sense for me and what I’m trying to do. We have the same mission statement, which is just to show the fabric of Americana.
Luke Grimes
On that note, you said your dad wore Stetson often. Do you have other personal memories that you associate with fragrances?
Not really. I probably remember my first girlfriend’s scent. In high school, we all doused ourselves in perfume and cologne. Out of anything I can think of, the original Stetson scent was the one that sticks out to me. The new ones that they have, Spirit, Legend, are incredible too—it’s hard to beat the OG.
Speaking of embodying Western spirit, Stetson Legend is described as a confident, adventurous, bold scent—and it’s very heavily inspired by the American West. Do any of these resonate with you in your career, particularly after portraying a true “cowboy” in Yellowstone?
In the last seven years, the western culture has become a huge part of my life, being on Yellowstone—and it wasn’t much before, the cowboy life. I’m not originally from the west. I’m from Ohio, and my parents are from the Appalachians. I grew up more rural and southern than cowboy and western. But at the end of the day, what ties all of that together is the idea of working class people, people who get up and go to work and make things happen. What I love about Stetson is that it’s a very quality product. It’s not being too good for anyone, it’s not high fashion, it’s for everyone—and I really like that about it.
Luke Grimes
In three words, how would you describe the essence of the Stetson Legend scent to someone who’s never smelled it before?
I would say fresh, original, yet rugged. That wasn’t bad, right?
Not at all! What aspects from the Stetson Legend fragrance do you hope will resonate most with your fans?
Usually when I think about what resonates with my fans, it’s more about emotional work. I’m an actor and a singer. But I did think, like I said, if I was going to partner with a brand I wanted it to be something that I could stand by and be proud of. Something that’s actually been a part of my life, and I’m not lying through my teeth when I promote it. Stetson felt like a really good fit for that reason.
Stetson Legend
Has your partnership with the Stetson brand influenced your personal style at? Did you find yourself adding any new or Western elements into your wardrobe—especially after playing the character of Kayce Dutton on Yellowstone?
I had never worn cowboy hats before, and it’s a big, bold statement. It’s something that you don’t take lightly. I know there’s so many people out there wearing cowboy hats that don’t really “cowboy.” And I didn’t want to be one of those people. I had to get into it playing Kayce on Yellowstone, and as far as the brand partnership, I will say they were kind enough to give me a ton of hats. So, I have plenty of very cool Stetson cowboy hats whenever I feel brave enough.
Is there any specific piece that has special meaning to you?
The boots that I wear on the show have become a very big part of my personal wardrobe. They’re like second skin now; I’ve been wearing them for seven years. Cowboy boots weren’t something I wore before the show, either. I would wear work boots. Cowboy boots are another statement piece—you’re saying something about yourself when you wear cowboy boots. I feel like seven years in, I deserve to wear them finally.
Coupled with your wardrobe, do you have a special place or occasion where you like to wear the Stetson Legend fragrance?
I don’t wear cologne all the time. When I wear suits or I’m doing red carpet events and I have to dress up a little bit, I feel like that’s when it makes sense and that’s when I’ll put some on. It’s not a day-to-day thing for me. I live in the middle of nowhere and dress like a hillbilly, usually. But when it’s time to gussy up a little bit, I’ll definitely throw some on.
Do you have a personal meaning you associate with the word “legend”?
Who doesn’t, right? It’s a strong word, and we all strive to make our lives something that someone can someday say was legendary. Of course, that word has a ton of meaning for me.
Do you have a legend that you look up to in your life or career? Any memories come to mind?
My father. He was a legend in his own way, and I wouldn’t be half of what I am if he wasn’t who he was.
This fragrance emphasizes being your own legend and empowering the next generation. What does the next generation look like to you? What do you think of when you look to the future?
Every generation is worried about the generation after them because of how quickly technology moves, and all these things. I think the next generation is going to be whip smart because of all the information that is coming their way at all times. I have a lot of hope for the next generation. Hopefully, it will be a point where every generation gets better than the last. That’s my hope.
Do you have a piece of advice for readers on how to be your own legend?
I’m probably not the guy to ask, but if I had to give some advice on how to be your own legend…in my life, I’ve tried to go with my gut, listen to my heart, and my intuition. And hold that in higher regard than anyone else’s opinion.
What projects are you currently working on that you’re excited about in the future?
I just finished shooting the last season of Yellowstone, which was bittersweet. I’ve been doing that for seven years. That will be coming out in November, and I think everyone will be very pleased with the final season. It’s been a miracle that we got to go all the way through the show with everything from strikes to COVID to internal combustion that have made this project almost impossible to get through—and we did it. I’m very proud of that, and I think people will really love that.
All images: Courtesy of Stetson
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