How Kreinik and Elvis are connected

Doug Kreinik is full of interesting information. On a recent trip to Cleveland, Ohio, for a needlework trade show, he revealed a pretty cool Kreinik connection to Elvis Presley.

In the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, an area is dedicated to singer/actor/icon Presley. The artifacts on display include a motorcycle, his guitars, and various items of clothing. As Doug and Kreinik Creative Director Dena Lenham stepped up to this leather jacket in the Elvis exhibit, Doug read the description. "Oh, Nudie Cohn. Nudie was a customer of my parents' when the company started," Doug casually mentioned.

Nudie, Nudie Cohn...the famed tailor-to-the-stars who also created Elvis' gold lame suit, was a customer of Jerry and Estelle Kreinik's little Kreinik Manufacturing Company! Both Jerry and Estelle were professionally involved in textiles—and Estelle was a professor of couturier design—before starting the thread company, so they were well versed in clothiers' embellishment needs. Since 1972, Kreinik threads have been worn in all kinds of places by all kinds of people. Today, the company still sells threads to top fashion houses in New York as well as costume production companies.

Elvis passed away in 1977, so he probably didn't wear any Kreinik threads (although we don't know for sure). We like to think he would have loved the sparkle.

For more on Nudie Cohn, visit the official website, run by his granddaughter: http://www.nudiesrodeotailor.com/