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The Spark of an Idea: Early Attempts
The journey towards the modern zipper began not with trousers, but with boots. In 1893, an American inventor named Whitcomb L. Judson patented a device he called the “Clasp Locker”. Conceived as a novel way to fasten high-button boots, which were notoriously tedious to put on, Judson’s invention used a system of hooks and eyes that were pulled together by a sliding clasp. He showcased it at the Chicago World’s Fair that same year, founding the Universal Fastener Company to manufacture his creation. However, the Clasp Locker was far from perfect. It was bulky, complicated, prone to jamming, and had a tendency to spring open unexpectedly. It simply wasn’t reliable enough for widespread adoption, especially not for something as frequently used and stressed as a trouser fly. While Judson deserves credit for the initial concept, his invention was more of a temperamental curiosity than a practical solution. It needed significant refinement.Refinement and Reliability: Gideon Sundback Steps In
Enter Gideon Sundback, a Swedish-American electrical engineer who joined Judson’s company. Sundback possessed the technical prowess needed to transform the Clasp Locker from a novelty into a workable fastener. He dedicated years to improving the design. His initial efforts focused on enhancing Judson’s hook-and-eye system, but the real breakthrough came later. Around 1913, Sundback developed a radically improved version he initially called the “Hookless Fastener”. His genius lay in replacing the hooks and eyes with small, interlocking scoops or teeth, clamped onto two facing fabric tapes. A slider mechanism forced these teeth to engage and disengage smoothly and reliably. He also devised the machine for mass-producing this new fastener. This wasn’t just an improvement; it was a fundamental redesign that formed the basis of the zipper we know today. In 1917, Sundback secured a patent for his “Separable Fastener”.Gideon Sundback’s 1917 patent, often referred to as “Hookless No. 2”, is considered the cornerstone of modern zipper technology. His design introduced the key elements of interlocking teeth mounted on fabric tapes and operated by a slider. This innovation dramatically increased the fastener’s reliability and practicality compared to earlier attempts.The name “zipper” itself came later, reputedly coined by B.F. Goodrich in 1923. The company used Sundback’s fastener on a new line of rubber galoshes and called them “Zippers,” allegedly because of the zipping sound they made when fastened. The catchy name stuck and soon became synonymous with the fastener itself, regardless of the application.
From Military Gear to Fashion Hesitation
Despite Sundback’s improvements, the zipper didn’t immediately take the clothing world by storm, particularly men’s fashion. Its earliest successes came in utilitarian applications. The U.S. Navy used zippers on flying suits during World War I, appreciating the quick closure and secure fit they offered pilots in cold, high-altitude cockpits. They also found use on money belts and tobacco pouches. However, tailors and the fashion elite remained skeptical, especially when it came to incorporating zippers into men’s trousers. Several factors contributed to this resistance. Firstly, early metal zippers could be prone to rust and damage from pressing, making laundering a concern. Secondly, there was a perception issue. Buttons were seen as traditional and modest. The zipper, with its quick, easy action, was sometimes viewed as slightly improper or even suggestive, particularly for the male fly. There were whispers associating it with sailors or a certain lack of decorum. Women’s fashion proved slightly more adventurous. Avant-garde designers like Elsa Schiaparelli began incorporating zippers into dresses and skirts in the early 1930s, using them not just functionally but as visible decorative elements. This helped normalize the zipper in clothing, but the bastion of men’s trousers remained largely unbreached.The Battle of the Fly: Conquering Men’s Trousers
The tide began to turn decisively in the mid-1930s. Manufacturers, particularly Talon, Inc. (the successor to Sundback’s original company), launched aggressive marketing campaigns aimed squarely at convincing men (and the tailors who clothed them) of the zipper’s superiority over the button fly. One of the most famous campaigns was dubbed the “Battle of the Fly,” heavily promoted in magazines like Esquire. Advertisements touted the zipper’s neatness, security (no embarrassing gaps), speed, and modern appeal. They positioned the zipper fly as the forward-thinking choice, contrasting it with the “old-fashioned” button fly. The convenience factor was heavily emphasized – no more fumbling with multiple buttons.Key Selling Points:
- Neatness: Zippers provided a flatter, smoother front than button flies.
- Security: Less chance of accidental opening or gaping compared to buttons.
- Convenience: Much faster and easier to fasten and unfasten.
- Modernity: Presented as the technologically advanced option.
Early resistance to zippers in trousers wasn’t just about aesthetics or tradition. Concerns about the metal zipper potentially snagging underlying garments, or the mechanism failing at an inopportune moment, were genuine practical worries. It took considerable engineering refinement and persuasive marketing to overcome these initial hurdles.
