Suits, Outfits

Nudie Cohn (December 15, 1902 – May 9, 1984) was a Ukrainian-American tailor, known for designing rhinestone-covered outfits to be worn by celebrities. more...

Home
Boys
Girls
Infants & Toddlers
Men's Accessories
Men's Clothing
Uniforms
Vintage
Children's
Men's & Women's Accessories
Men's Clothing
Men's Shoes
Reproductions & Costumes
Unisex & T-Shirts
Women's Clothing
1901-19 (Edwardian, WWI)
1920-38 (20s, Depression)
Coats & Jackets
Dresses
Formal, Bridal
Lingerie
Other
Skirts
Suits, Outfits
Tops, Blouses, Sweaters
1939-46 (WWII)
Coats & Jackets
Dresses
Formal, Bridal
Lingerie
Other
Skirts
Suits, Outfits
Tops, Blouses, Sweaters
1947-64 (New Look-Early 60s)
Coats & Jackets
Dresses
Formal, Bridal
Lingerie
Other
Pants, Jeans, Shorts
Skirts
Suits, Outfits
Sweaters
Tops, Blouses
1965-76 (Mod, Hippie, Disco)
Coats & Jackets
Dresses
Formal, Bridal
Lingerie
Other
Pants, Jeans, Shorts
Skirts
Suits, Outfits
Sweaters
Tops, Blouses
1977-89 (Punk, New Wave,...
Coats & Jackets
Dresses
Formal, Bridal
Lingerie
Pants, Jeans, Shorts
Skirts
Suits, Outfits
Sweaters
Tops, Blouses
Other Women's Clothing
Pre-1901 (Victorian & Older)
Women's Shoes
Wedding Apparel
Women's Accessories,...
Women's Clothing

Early life

Cohn was born in Kiev as Nuta Kotlyarenko and moved to New York as a child. Initially moving to California to become a boxer, he instead worked as an extra and a costume designer. He moved to Minnesota for a while, marrying in 1934. Cohn and his wife Bobbie moved to New York City, where they opened their first store, Nudie's for the Ladies, which specialized in customized underwear for showgirls.

Opens own business

Nudie returned to California in 1947, where he talked bandleader Tex Williams into auctioning off a horse to purchase him a sewing machine. Opening a store in North Hollywood, Nudie began designing western-wear notable for its ostentatiousness, including extensive use of rhinestones and themed-appliques. One of his early designs, for singer Porter Wagoner, was a peach-colored suit featuring rhinestones, a covered wagon appliqué on the back, and wagon wheel piping on the legs. Nudie offered the suit to Wagoner for free, suspecting that having his suit worn by a popular singer would act, in effect, as a billboard for Nudie's designs. Cohn eventually dubbed his business "Nudie's of Hollywood." In the 1960's he hired Manuel Cuevas as his head designer.

Publicity

Nudie Cohn relentlessly publicized himself. He is reported to have driven to poorer sections of town and distributed dollar bills with a sticker of his face over Washington's. "When you get sick of looking at me," he'd say, "just rip it off and spend it." Nudie also customized 18 Cadillac convertibles with typical Nudie icons, such as silver-dollar-studded dashboards, pistol door handles, and longhorn steer horns on the hood of the car. These were called "Nudie Mobiles," and have become valued collector's items. One can be found on display in the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee.

Celebrities

Many of Nudie Cohn's designs became signature suits for their wearers. Included among Nudie's most famous creations are Elvis Presley's $10,000 gold lamé suit, which the singer wore on the cover of his 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong album. Nudie also designed for Hank Williams' white cowboy suit featuring musical notation on the sleeves and Gram Parsons' "Gilded Palace of Sin" suit, which featured pill bottles, pot leaves, naked women, and a huge cross. Many of Roy Rogers' film costumes were also commissioned from Nudie's of Hollywood. Also the costumes of the Flemish Country and Folk entertainer Bobbejaan Schoepen were commissioned from Nudie's.

Read more at Wikipedia.org