Walker Hayes Honors His Late Father In New JCPenney Men’s Collection

"You just want to spread the memory of someone who was special to you forever and ever."

JCPenney just announced a brand-new, limited-time, exclusive collection of men’s clothing designed in collaboration with country music sensation, Walker Hayes. The new line includes 25 items of casual but cool pieces inspired by Hayes’ personal style including a modern take on the classic camo pant, a linen blazer, and a wide array of relaxed but put together shirts, pants, and shorts all in a color palette personally chosen by the “Fancy Like” singer.

The retail giant that is headquartered in Plano, Texas, defines the collection as, “upbeat clothing with a down-home vibes for guys who keep style simple.” It’s a redefinition of what Dad fashion can be and Hayes is thrilled to be involved.

“JCPenney obviously wanted to do a Father’s Day thing and that’s me. I’m just a dad who happens to have a really awesome job. So it has really made sense,” he told Southern Living. The dad of six also said that he didn’t just let the brand use his name. It was a true partnership. “JCPenney really included me in creating this line. They truly wanted to know, what do you wear each and every day.”

Hayes said that “dad style” is different now than when he was growing up. “I think the average dad now has a youthful pep in his step where it’s not like you see a 40 year old man and are like ‘man, that dude is ancient.’ It’s like no he can still ball with the kids. He’s out there doing his thing. Cutting the grass with his shirt off. I think that’s awesome. I think dads have swag these days. And the dad bod is in. I mean that’s a thing. That wasn’t in when I was growing up,” he said with a hearty laugh. “There’s this new dad genre and I think honestly I think these items are perfect for that.”

In addition to items that Hayes said he’d want in his own closet, his partners at JCPenney took it a step further and created one piece that pays homage to someone very special to the country star. “There is actually a jacket of my dad’s that I love. You can see it everywhere. I wear it all the time. It’s a blue-jean jacket with kind of a wool-looking inside. And one of the items [in the new line] is a re-creation of that jacket with duck buck buttons.”

Charles Hayes, Walker’s father, died in 2021. Having this jacket in his new collection is very meaningful for the Grammy nominated artist.

“Laney and I were talking about how you just want to spread the memory of someone who was special to you forever and ever. It’s interesting how we probably all have an item that we can smell or feel and go, that’s somebody.  That’s one thing I obviously lived in my life but I never explored recreating it or thinking hey these hats or this shirt, or these camo pants that JCPenney and I have created, they’ll be a memory for some kid. I remember hugging my dad before I reached his knee and I can still feel his pants in my arms.”

Walker Hayes for JCPenney is available now online and will be in stores on May 16 for a limited time.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.