NUDIE SUITS PICTURED: Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Elvis Presley, Gram Parsons, Elton John, Porter Wagoner, Hank Williams, Porter Wagoner, Michael Nesmith.
Nudie Cohn and His Nudie Suits: The Birth of The Rhinestone Cowboy
“Nudie’s suits pretty much embody fight for the American dream. It’s as if each rhinestone makes up for every minute spent struggling and hustling. And then all the extras are just a middle finger for the haters.” - Messy Nessy
Nuta Kotlyarenko (known professionally as Nudie Cohn) was born in Kiev to a Ukrainian Jewish family in 1902. During this time, organized violent riots known as pogroms were rampant in Ukraine, with the intention being the massacre of as many known Jews as possible. Fearful of their antisemitic homeland, Nudie’s parents made the decision to send he and his brother to America when Nudie was 11 years old.
For approximately 20 years, Nudie moved around the country working various jobs, including shoe shining, boxing, and occasional tasks that honed his skills in tailoring. He made connections with gangsters and performers, cowboys and showmen; regardless of what Nudie was up to professionally or personally at the time, he always seemed able to find a friend.
He met Helen “Bobbie” Kruger while living in Minnesota, and married her in 1934. The newlyweds moved to New York City, where they were inspired by the showbusiness of the metropolitan area. Soon after, they opened a shop called “Nudie’s for The Ladies”, which specialized in hand-made custom garments for showgirls.
PICTURED: Bobbie wears one of her personal Nudie Suits, and Nudie wears one of his.
In 1940, the pair relocated to California and began to design and manufacture clothing in their garage. It was at this time that Nudie met a young country singer by the name of Lefty Frizzell, who had met moderate success as a travelling musician in the southern U.S., but hadn’t found the edge he needed to stand out from competition. Nudie offered to make Lefty a suit, on the condition that Lefty promised he’d have “the guts” to actually wear it.
Indeed as promised, Lefty begun to take to the stages of the southern states in Nudie’s design, and more singing cowboys took a cue from the fresh look.
While in California, Nudie made friends with a young Tex Williams, who would go on to become a well respected charting artist, but was at the time no more than another hopeful. Tex acquired some money in 1947 by auctioning a horse, and invested in a sewing machine for Nudie and his business. To repay him for the generous favor, Nudie often made custom clothing for Tex to wear while performing. As Tex gained traction and grew an audience, so did the “Nudie Suits”.
Inspired by his original love for city showgirl fashion and his newfound footing in Western pop culture thanks to Tex and Lefty, Nudie opened a shop in California called “Nudie’s of Hollywood”, which specialized in ostentatious western wear. As the country and polka genres of music were very popular at the time, the look was considered highly fashionable and coveted.
When Tex Williams hit #1 on American charts, the look became iconic among young people striving to stay on trend, and Nudie Suits gained enough traction to keep the business running with some success.
Encouraged by the attention Tex’s #1 had brought to the brand, Nudie gave a suit free of charge to the already-successful country star, Porter Wagoner in 1962. His hope was that Porter would be seen wearing the creation, which would in turn bring more attention to Nudie’s of Hollywood.
His hope turned out to be a prophecy, as demand for Nudie Suits skyrocketed almost immediately. Not one full year after Porter’s endorsement, Nudie and his wife had to again relocate, but this time to a much bigger facility. With the new location again came a name change, “Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors”, which has stuck to this day.
Nudie’s celebrity client list was growing in folds, and his customers included Elvis Presley, Gram Parsons, Hank Williams, The Beatles, Dolly Parton, Cher, Elton John and many more. The Nudie Suits worn by each often came to be considered one of the artists’ most iconic and recognizable looks, which served to further elevate America’s growing obsession with them.
PICTURED: Nudie in one of his own creations, along with superstar Gram Parsons in a custom design. Gram’s suit featured poppies, marijuana leaves, pills and naked women. It is one of Gram’s best-known looks, and ranks as the most requested copy at Nudie’s through it’s history.
After receiving his first suit for free, Porter Wagoner went on record in 2006 to state that he had purchased 51 more outfits from Nudie, each costing upwards of $11,000 USD. Starting in the late 60s and onward throughout Nudie’s life, Nudie Suits were considered a highly desired investment for flamboyant performers.
As Nudie’s fortune grew, so did his generosity. He was known for giving away money to kids who came trick or treating on Halloween, and would regularly donate to group homes and the building or expansion of local playgrounds.
“He came from poverty… He just wanted to see people sparkle.” - Jamie Nudie, Granddaughter
Nudie was known for wearing his own embellished designs almost constantly, but would be seen wearing mismatched cowboy boots to remind him of his humble roots in Kiev, when he couldn’t afford or come by a matching pair of shoes. From those bleak beginnings to the very literal glitz and glam of Hollywood success, Nudie used rhinestones and gleaming threads to embroider a spot for himself in American fashion and showbiz history.
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