Nudie: The Rodeo Tailor

Born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1902, Nudie Cohn built an impeccable reputation as one of the most sought after clothiers in Los Angeles... all on a few sparkly G-strings. Nudie the Rodeo Tailor tells the unbelievable story of Nudie and Bobbie Cohn and the legendary fashion legacy they created.

Nudie Cohn's first store (Nudie's for the Ladies, New York City) featured those famous and lavishly ornamented G-strings and stage costumes, and allowed him to build a reputation as a master tailor with a taste for the flashy. After a few years, Nudie turned his attention to making western clothing, and became the first person to incorporate rhinestones into cowboy dress. It was the $10,000 gold suit that Nudie made for Elvis Presley that rocketed Nudie to stardom and cemented his status in fashion history; Nudie would go on to design clothing for Dale Evans and Roy Rogers, Elton John, Gene Autry, John Wayne, John Lennon, Steve McQueen, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, and the rock groups America and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Nudie blurred the boundaries of fashion and cast a far-reaching influence over the clothing worn in country music, rock music, movies, and television.

There was a time when Jamie was a teenager, that her grandfather's antics and wild means of transportation and clothing would sometimes perplex her, but Jamie's Poppie was always there to lend loving support, and she could always confide in Nudie. One of Nudie's more colorful pieces of advice "Never Be a Squaw to No Man" has stuck with Jamie, and may find its way into print as Jamie explores a modern woman's dilemma of balancing personal relationships and professional aspirations.

Jamie Lee also shared Nudie's love of food, especially his penchant for a good cup of Joe. Jamie opened "Nudie's Custom Java" after the Lankershim Blvd. store closed, and continues to look for a great location to keep the Nudie legend alive.

Jamie Lee has many fond memories of her Poppie and holds them all very close to her heart. Every day of her life, juggling family and celebrating Nudie, Jamie finds a way to educate and inspire our younger generation with the stories of her Poppie. Jamie is a mother of three children living in the San Fernando Valley caring for her grandmother Bobbie Nudie, as she works on many projects pertaining to the Nudie legend.

Mary Lynn Cabrall was born in Castro Valley, California and always dreamed of becoming a cowgirl. The small suburban town in the East Bay of San Francisco was home to many saddlemakers and silversmiths, and the look of a decked out rider and mount in the traditional vein of a California vaquero fed her imagination.

As a teenager, she moved to the Wine Country of Sonoma County, and was able to own her own horse and began to show in her 4-H club and small schooling shows. Although she couldn't afford the fancy silver tack and arena ready horses of some of her peers, she learned how to tool leather, and admired the traditional craftsmanship of the equestrian arts. In her late teens and early twenties she became interested in music, especially the country and western she had heard played over the loudspeakers during classes at the hot and dusty horseshows. Eventually she turned again to leather tooling, and her interest in vintage clothing led her to start mimicking Nudie suits.

She met Jamie and Bobbie Nudie in September of 1994, as the Lankershim store was closing. Long fascinated with Nudie, the experience of being in the store was a revelation.

Mary Lynn moved to Nashville, and drank up the culture, (albeit relegated to mostly historical musings) of Nudie Suits and guitar shaped swimming pools. Her collection grew of Nudie suits and memorabilia grew to include a pair of Nudie's own mismatched boots. She admits to putting them on from time to time for inspiration.

Mary Lynn acquired a 60 year old chain stitch embroidery machine, and she took up the art of machine embroidery, just like the original Nudie suits. Today Mary Lynn works with Jamie Lee to recreate the Nudie magic. Leatherwork, silverwork, embroidery, rhinestones, and the best rodeo tailoring to be had, can be still be ordered from Nudie's Rodeo Tailors.