What distinguishes the guitar case (and the matching guitar straps) in the latest Wrangler x Fender assortment is that, in relation to the legacies of each manufacturers, these items … strikes all the suitable chords. The case particularly stands out from the standard co-branded merch as a result of it’s a expensive merchandise (retail value: $249) that was not simple to make.
Music and denim
The concept for the collaboration between the 2 manufacturers originated when Wrangler’s advertising division was planning round a milestone approaching in 2022.
“As a part of our seventy fifth anniversary, we had a few activations that we did with Stay Nation,” Wrangler’s vp of world model advertising Holly Wheeler recalled. “After which [we thought], ‘Hey, if we’re going to speak about music, we’re going to speak about rock and roll—and what’s essentially the most iconic guitar in rock and roll? It’s a Fender. In order that’s sort of the place it began.”
The Fender collaboration—each the 2022 attire assortment and the present one—faucets right into a considerably lesser-known a part of Wrangler’s music legacy. Whereas nation music followers have seen Wranglers on stage for years (Dwight Yoakam and George Strait are among the many model’s many loyal wearers), a number of music legends in different genres have worn Wrangler, too—Bob Marley, John Lennon, Mick Jagger and Blondie, to call a couple of.
When Queen entrance man Freddie Mercury took the stage at Stay Assist in 1985—performing earlier than a worldwide viewers of 1.9 billion individuals—he wore Wrangler denims.
This form of historical past elevates a merchandise line above a garden-variety cross licensing deal, Bussey mentioned: “It felt like a pure partnership due to the legacy of artists who wore Wrangler.”
The case for the case
Inspiration for the attire got here from sifting by means of photographs from Fender’s archives, together with previous promoting. Progressively, the visuals “began to encourage the design group,” Wheeler mentioned. “You’ve bought these actually cool ’80s wash developments, lace-up denim and fringe—all of these issues work from each a rock and roll and a Fender perspective.”
Guitar equipment like paisley-print straps and tortoise shell picks grew naturally from these periods, too. However Bussey was decided to create a marquee merchandise.
“We thought, ‘What’s cool a couple of guitar case? It holds a guitar. What’s cool about Wrangler? All of the accoutrements of it.’ We are able to smear the 2 collectively. I all the time wish to make peanut butter and jelly concepts,” Bussey mentioned.
