OUR HISTORY
Wrangler was started in 1947 by Blue Bell, a denim manufacturing company with a simple ambition: to create the world’s best five pocket jeans.
Trends have come and gone, but our focus has remained the same; it’s all about the jeans. This is a non-compromising position that has given the brand iconic status.
1 9 0 4
THE SEEDS OF WRANGLER WERE SEWN IN 1904, WHEN AN ENTERPRISING DENIM FACTORY WORKER BY THE NAME OF CC HUDSON (AND HIS BROTHER HOMER) SETUP THE HUDSON OVERALL COMPANY. DEDICATED TO PRODUCING TOP QUALITY, DURABLE WORK CLOTHES FOR RAILWAY WORKERS ON AMERICA’S EAST COAST, IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE THE BROTHERS SAW SALES BOOM WITH AN EVER INCREASING DEMAND FOR THE COMPANY’S FINE CUT DENIM.
1 9 1 9
THE BUSINESS BUILDS ITS FIRST FACTORY ON THE CORNER OF SOUTH ELM STREET AND CHANGES ITS NAME TO BLUE BELL OVERALL COMPANY. AFTER MERGING WITH BLUE BELL, THE COMPANY REVOLUTIONIZED DENIM WORK WEAR FURTHER WITH ITS CONCEPT OF ‘PROPORTIONAL FIT’. THEN CAME THE HISTORIC INTRODUCTION OF WRANGLER AUTHENTIC WESTERN JEANS. DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH FAMOUS TAILOR RODEO BEN, AND ENDORSED BY RODEO STARS SUCH AS JIM SHOULDERS AND BILL LINDERMAN, WRANGLER QUICKLY GAINED A REPUTATION FOR TOUGHNESS AND QUALITY.
1 9 4 6
BLUE BELL STARTS TO DEVELOP A JEANS LINE FOR COWBOYS. BLUE BELL WORKERS TAKE PART IN A CONTEST TO GIVE THE JEANS A BRAND NAME, THE WINNING NAME WAS WRANGLER - FOR THE WORKING COWBOY.
1 9 4 7
WRANGLER OFFICIALLY BECOMES A DENIM MANUFACTURING COMPANY WITH A SIMPLE AMBITION; TO CREATE THE WORLD’S BEST FIVE POCKET JEANS. THE WRANGLER 7 ICONS ARE ESTABLISHED WHICH INCLUDE; THE WATCH POCKET, W STITCH, THE PATCH, ROPE LOGO, REVERSE FULLY FELLED YOKE, FLAT RIVETS AND SEVEN BELT LOOPS.
1 9 6 2
BLUE BELL OPENS A FACTORY IN BELGIUM AND THE WRANGLER BRAND ENJOYS A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH IN EUROPE.
1 9 6 4
THE BLUE BELL TECHNICIAN CAME UP WITH A UNIQUE FABRIC WEAVE WHICH INVOLVED A “BROKEN TWILL LINE”. THIS PROVIDES THE MUCH NEEDED FABRIC STABLITY THAT ELIMINATED THE TWISTING OF THE LEG SEAM WHEN WASHED.
1 9 7 0
IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE HOLLYWOOD CAME KNOCKING, WITH HANDSOMELY RUGGED STARS LIKE ROBERT MITCHEM AND STEVE MCQUEEN WEARING THE BRAND. THEN CAME WRANGLER’S GOLDEN DECADE OF DENIM, THE ‘70S, WHEN ITS WESTERN ROOTS WERE CATAPULTED INTO THE URBAN STRATOSPHERE.
1 9 7 3
WRANGLER JEANS BECAME AN ICON OF YOUTH CULTURE SYNONYMOUS WITH TEENAGERS THE WORLD OVER. IN 1973 THE BRAND INTRODUCED MORE CUTS, STYLES, WASHES, TREATMENTS AND DENIM INNOVATIONS THAN EVER BEFORE.
1 9 8 6
BLUE BELL MERGES WITH THE VF CORPORATION.
1 9 9 6
1 IN EVERY 5 PAIRS OF JEANS SOLD IN AMERICA IS WRANGLER.
2 0 0 3
WRANGLER AUSTRALIA IS BORN.
2 0 0 4
THE ICONIC MEN’S JEAN, THE STRANGLER, IS INTRODUCED.
2 0 1 7
WRANGLER CELEBRATES 70 YEARS.
T O D A Y
WRANGLER CONTINUES TO PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY, DURABLE DENIM WITH TIMELESS DESIGN THAT REMAINS AT THE PINNACLE OF ‘CLASSIC’ - SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER FADE AWAY.
