The History Of Dickies
THE HISTORY OF DICKIES
FOUNDATION & INCORPORATION
Dickies started at the very bottom. C.N. Williamson and E.E. Dickie began their careers in the vehicle harness industry, producing wiring for cars in a small Texan town. In 1918, they teamed up with a few of their friends and founded the “US. Overall Company” after noticing some room for improvement in the overalls they had been supplied at work. Their name would soon change to the “Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company.
DICKIES DURING CRISIS
The company slowly expanded over the next 20 years, despite the Wall Street Crash in 1929 and the Great Depression that followed, their growth continued up until the Second World War. It was during the war, when the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company were requested to manufacture and design the uniform for the US military. This was a testimony to their high quality, hard wearing garments that could both take a beating and be mass produced.
POST WAR ERA
Dickies thrived in the prosperous environment of post-war America. As the economy flourished and industry skyrocketed, Dickies found themselves supplying more and more workwear to both businesses in wholesale bulk and self-employed tradesmen. The appeal was not just the comfort and durability offered by Dickies, it was the aesthetics. Dickies advertised that their workwear felt and looked better than anyone else’s. They began to sell to oil traders in Europe and the Middle East, establishing their brand worldwide.
From the 60’s onwards, Dickies have aimed their clothing toward the youth with ranges of clothes aimed at university students, young entrepreneurs to children and disco-goers. In the 80’s they launched their first ladies workwear range for tradeswomen. Dickies have always promoted a lifestyle that balances hard work with fun.
DICKIES TODAY
At present, you can catch anyone wearing a pair of Dickies trousers or flannel shirt, it could be the mechanic on the street corner, the skateboarder who just almost knocked you over, the school teacher at the front of your class or the electrician knocking on your door. Their timeless popularity derives directly from their consistent build quality that consumers know they can trust.
