The Kress Building on South Elm Street is filled with a Wrangler timeline and some memorabilia, detailing the seventy years of Wrangler. According to the timeline, in 1947, Greensboro’s Blue Bell Corporation hired a Philadelphia taylor, “Rodeo Bill” Lichtenstein to design a jean that would be functional to cowboys, but would have a fit that was flattering. Mr. Lichtenstein was smart and got input from rodeo champions, and one, Jim Shoulders, was signed on to endorse the brand, an endorsement that lasted 59 years. Throughout the years, Wrangler has adapted to the changes of the times and, in some cases, helping to set trends. In the above photo, the multicolor jean in the middle of the photo was launched in 1970 with a partnership between pop-art artist Peter Max and Wrangler.

If you get a chance, head downtown to see this exhibit which reflects a tremendous part of Greensboro’s denim & jeans history. After all, one of our city’s nicknames is now Jeansboro. Thank you, Kress Building for showcasing this great piece of Greensboro’s history.