Embrace the spirit of the cowboy. The epitome of functional beauty, loved by the tough guys of the West, John Lennon, and Steve McQueen.
1947 | USA | Rodeo Ben
Amidst the swirling dust of the American West, fierce warriors, gripping the reins tightly, gallop across the vast wilderness with their horses, pursuing herds of unruly cattle. There is a brand that encases the well-trained bodies of these cowboys and shines brightly in the harsh dust: Wrangler, which, alongside Levi's and Lee, is one of America's three major denim brands.
While the two preceding companies trace their roots to workwear for miners during the gold rush, Wrangler's origins are clearly in the "Western" scene. It wasn't denim as work clothes, but "gear" for cowboys, and at the same time, "formal attire" that made them heroes.
The brand's origins lie in the Hudson Overall Company, later known as the Blue Bell Company, established in North Carolina in 1904. While the company had a reputation for producing sturdy, reliable workwear, in the 1940s, in an effort to differentiate itself from competitors, it decided to enter the untapped Western market. As a stepping stone, it acquired Casey Jones Company, which owned the Wrangler trademark.
In 1947, when launching the brand, they made a groundbreaking decision: to hire Rodeo Ben (real name Benjamin Lichtenstein), a legendary designer who had worked on costumes for Hollywood Westerns. He introduced tailoring techniques to denim, which had previously been purely functional, and combined a three-dimensional silhouette that fit the cowboy's body with a sophisticated design. Furthermore, during the development stage, they conducted thorough field tests with the top rodeo cowboys of the time. The prototype, named "11MW," was repeatedly improved based on their feedback, culminating in the completed zipper-fly model "11MWZ" in 1948. This is the origin of the Wrangler spirit that continues to this day. Incidentally, the "11" in the model number is the prototype number, "M" is for men's wear, and "W" is for Western wear.
This garment is packed with unique details based on real-world data. These include flat rivets with no protrusions to avoid damaging the saddle, and a watch pocket positioned high on the beltline to prevent small items like pocket watches from falling out even during intense riding. And then there's Wrangler's greatest invention: "broken denim." Traditional twill denim was destined to twist with wear, but this problem was solved by aligning the twill weave at regular intervals in opposite directions. Its comfort, which prevents it from clinging to the legs even during strenuous activity, earned the trust of true men, and in 1975 it was certified as the official jeans of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). This particular pair, now renamed "Wrangler 13MWZ," has established itself as the official uniform of cowboys.
This innovative spirit was fully demonstrated in their jackets as well. The early masterpiece, the "111MJ," is characterized by its front pleats and round bar tack stitching. John Lennon of the Beatles was a great admirer of this model, and his wearing of it elevated the brand beyond the Western genre, making it a fashion icon discussed in the contexts of rock and art.
The "24MJZ" was born from the pursuit of even greater functionality. It features a zipper front instead of buttons, action pleats on the back to increase the range of motion of the arms, and an elastic adjuster on the inside of the waist. Its functional beauty, which maximizes athletic performance, possesses a sophistication that resonates with contemporary high fashion.
Steve McQueen, the legendary actor known as the "King of Cool," was also captivated by Wrangler. His favorite was the "27MW," a masterpiece of denim western shirts. His wild and rugged style, both on screen and in private, resonated with Wrangler's philosophy of pursuing functional beauty, and his look is remembered as an embodiment of masculine dandyism.
From cowboy attire to the go-to choice for rock and movie stars, Wrangler's history has always been a challenge to "maximize the wearer's performance." Unique denim born from the intersection of the designer's aesthetic sensibilities and the realities of the field. If you're drawn to the stories behind the brand and the inevitable designs born from functionality, then Wrangler is the brand for you. The moment you slip into its tough fabric, the frontier spirit dormant within you will surely awaken.