DATE: Monday, September 1, 1997             TAG: 9708300089

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E1   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Fashion 

SOURCE: BY KIM WADSWORTH, FASHION CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:   47 lines

DICKIES: 75 YEARS OF HARD-WORKING FASHION

WANT PROOF that fashions are unpredictable? Try this on for size: Dickies Workwear, the indestructible clothing made since 1922 for plumbers, carpenters and janitors, has become high style.

Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co.'s basic, affordable pants, shirts, jackets, overalls, T-shirts and sweatshirts have been featured lately in magazines such as GQ and Spin. Counterculture teens, hip-hop stars - even businessmen on casual Fridays - are wearing elements of the line.

``The company hasn't done anything to encourage this new interpretation,'' says spokeswoman Kristen Kauffman. ``People are just discovering what Dickies has always had.''

The Fort Worth, Texas, company has a long list of accomplishments. During World War II, Williamson-Dickie produced more than 9 million U.S. Army uniforms. In the 1950s, the company invented the first permanent-press fabric.

Dickies have made some memorable movie cameos. Henry Fonda wore Dickie bib overalls as a field hand in ``The Grapes of Wrath.'' Frank Sinatra wore the 874 work pant as a soldier in ``From Here to Eternity.''

Recently, Sportswear International named company president Philip Williamson one of the 55 most influential people in fashion - along with Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. ``This authentic workwear brand has managed to stay true to its core blue-collar customer while becoming an integral component of modern streetwear,'' the industry group said.

This fall, in celebration of its 75th anniversary, Dickies Workwear is launching limited editions of some of its basic ``greats,'' including the khaki, zip-front work jacket (retailing for $34.99) and the original 874 plain-front khaki pant ($22.99). At $26.99, the Dickies red zip-front hooded version in Vellux competes with the $540 MiuMiu knitted sweatshirt recently featured in Vogue.

``The Dickies `fad' that started 75 years ago is still going strong, which is why we're bringing back historically accurate menswear favorites,'' says Jim McLaughlin, senior vice president of sales. ILLUSTRATION: DICKIES ADS FROM 1952, ABOVE, AND THIS YEAR, LEFT.

DICKIES

Popular Dickies fashions that have withstood the test of time and

hard work include bib overalls and the khaki, zip-front work jacket.

The utilitarian clothing appeals to both sexes.

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