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6The Daily Tar Heel Monday . April 21, 1986 T5) uniiiL 'HLewiffi clottlhes dleiM imaurkett By FELISA NEURINGER Ralph Lauren. Alexander. Julian and .w Claiborne had better watch out because Ruff Hewn is on the rcimpairc. Rull Hewn, the product of W&J Rives Inc. of High Point, is a line of "updated traditional sportswear." said David Haddock, a salesman at The Stag Shop in Raleigh. W&J Rives Inc. manufactures jeans and slacks for such famous designers as Jordachc, Lee, Levi. Izod. Ralph Lauren and Gloria Vandcrbuilt. Over 30.000 pairs of jeans a week are shipped from the High Point plant. W&J Rives Inc. was founded by brothers Warren J. and Jefferson H. Rives. They had both grown up in a clothing-oriented atmosphere, as their father was the owner of a garment manufacturing business. When the brothers graduated from the UNC-CH School of Business Administration Warren in I972, Jefferson in 1974 they decided to start their own business. ' Five years ago they decided to introduce their own line of clothing, according to Skip MacMillan, director of merchandising and manufacturing for Ruff Hewn. The brothers hired Dallas designer Dennis Marchman, who wanted to design a line that stressed "a return to the outdoors." One night while at a party, Marchman noticed a coffee table that had been rough-hewn from a mason's pallet. The table provided the inspiration for Marchman's idea for a new line of clothing. He also came up with the idea for Barclay. Ruffin Hewn, a former adventurer-turned fashion designer that Marchman created as a marketing strategy. Since then, sales at W&J Rives has been incredible. "Business is doing great, and we're really pleased with the acceptance of the line," MacMillan said. Sales figures support MacMillan s optimism. There has been a 5(K) percent increase in sales since Ruff Hewn was introduced to the market. There are presently five lines of Ruff Hewn clothing for women and two for men. W&J Rives also produces a children's line of Ruff Hewn clothing, called Little Ruff. ' Presently. W&J Rives makes pants, shirts, blouses, skirts and shorts from cotton, denim, khaki, oxford cloth and chambray fabrics for the Ruff Hewn line. "We're expanding the line in terms of products offered such as dresses, knit shirts, sweaters and outerwear." MacMillan said. "We also have exclusive 100 percent cotton prints that we use for shirts, two piece dressings and skirts." According to most Triangle area Ruff Hewn retailers, women's shirts cost between $40-$50, skirts $50-560 and shorts around $40. Men's shirts range from $35-$75, pants $40-$60 and shorts $30-$40. All of the designs for Ruff Hewn clothing is based on originals from the early 1900s. The clothes have individual names as well, such as the Montgomery named for the former British general which is a button-fly pleated longer short and the Patton, a fatigue pant. Other outfits in the Ruff Hewn line include the Kitty Hawk blouse and the Normandy skirt. "Ruff Hewn clothing is being bought in better specialty stores," MacMillan said. .Neiman-Marcus, Macy's and Sak's Fifth Avenue currently sell the Ruff Hewn line. The clothes are also marketed in England, Germany. Italy, Japan and the Caribbean. Celebrities including Tom Selleck, Lee Majors, Bill Murray and Nick Nolle have worn Ruff Hewn creations on television and in the movies! But you don't have to live in far-away places or be famous in order to wear Ruff Hewn. Closer to home, MacMillan said that sales in North Carolina are very good. "All types of people wear this traditional sports wear," said Haddock. "College students to middle-aged professionals buy Ruff Hewn." "Wc sell a lot of Ruff Hewn, and we can't keep it in stock because it is in such hot demand," said Molly Quist, a salesperson at The College Shop in Durham. Women are even on a waiting list to buy Ruff Hewn clothes at The Cherry Tree, according to Susan Moyer, manager of The Cherry Tree in Bright Leaf Square, Durham. The denim skirt is the best seller from the women's line, say most retailers. "You can dress it up or dress it down, and everyone likes the longer length (of Ruff Hewn's denim skirts)," said Moyer. Ruff Hewn has been so successful because the clothes are ". . . of good quality, at good prices and in good styles," said Amanda Schwenke, assistant manager at Foxglove Inc. on Franklin Street. "The clothes are very rugged the name supports that," said Haddock. "People also buy Ruff Hewn because they know it's made in High Point; therefore, they know they are supporting North Carolina's textile industry." Because business has been so good for Ruff Hewn, the company has had to expand their office space in High Point. 1 fox ACIKIE W ACE SENIOR PORTRAITS This Week Only! No Sitting Fee, No Wait! It's your last chance to get your picture in the yearbook. Gall 962-3912 or come by the Union UNC ffojemisncs team F&imlks top '. 10 By NANCY HARRINGTON Staff Writer The UNC forensics team, recently ranked in the top 10 nationally, is something that UNC should be proud of, according to Dr. Virgil Balthrop, director in the speech communication department. The team recently competed in two tournaments, the National bebate Tournament, April 4-7, and the National Individual Events Tournament, April 11-14, coming away with several awards. "No other school did as good overall in forensics as Carolina did," Balthrop said. During the National Individual Events Tournament at the University of Texas at Arlington, out of 1 1 1 schools, the UNC team placed eighth. Vikki Barrett, a senior speech communications major, placed fifth in the nation for dramatic interpretation. The team of Barrett, Jim Rogers, John Harris, Jonny Gray, Monte Hagler, Andrea Walker and Karen Manuel had six people qualify for the elimination round, and three people reached the semi-finals. At the National Debate Tourna ment at Dartmouth in New Hamp shire. Jeremy Ofseyer placed fifth, and then placed fifth as a team with Mike Egeus. Ofseyer and Egeus were in competition with 62 other teams. UNC is the only university to have had a team to rank that high nationally in both debate competi tion and individual competition, Balthrop said. Balthrop said the U niversity is well known for its athletic competition and that the forensics accomplish ments are "a form of intercollegiate competition that reflects the aca demic success of the University." "It's a year-long process, and you're constantly researching in the library," Egeus said. The forensics team works with a low budget and cannot enter as many competitions during the year as other teams, Jonny Gray, a member of the team. said. Bradley University, which won the national tournament each year from 1980 to 1985, enters as many as 20 tournaments a year, he said. ?&lbFnc8i4edl designer clotMmg coMiitoy By ROBERT KEEFE Business Editor He began his life in New York City on Independence Day, 1885. Later, he gained admission into Eton College, England, where in the words of Edward VIII. Prince of Wales. "... he became the most accomplished rugby player in the school's history." .The man the mvth that Prince . i jx, I i s ' 1 1 V WERE FIGHTING FOR VOUR LIFE American Heart Association Ltl HE Yy Mv Don L DOWNTOWN SHOPPING -A COAMtfl IM CT 1 II I I iniiiLi)Y wi- UNIVERSITY SQUARE SHOPS SERVICES T3 GRANVIL E. FRANKLIN ST. GRANVILLE TOWERS UNIVERSITY OF W. CAMERON AVE. J L D CAROLINA INN CO 5 i o o NORTH CAROLINA CAMPUS CO X o tr Our location puts you close to everything you want to be near. We're adjacent to campus and downtown. At University Square there is a convenience store and a restaurant that stays open late. Nothing is out of your way at Granville Towers. FALL ACCOMMODATIONS STILL AVAILABLE Granville Towers TM "The Place to be at UNC GRANVILLE TOWERS at University Square 929-7143 J hdward was speaking of was no other than his roommate and lifelong friend. Barclay Ruffin Hewn "Ruff to his friends. But Ruff became more than just the greatest rugby player in the prestigious school's history. Several years later. Ruff returned to his native New York and amassed what his friends and colleagues called "... a well-sized tortunc" on Wall Street. Although he had enough money to retire and live a life of luxury. Ruff turned his head not from the needs of his country during the troubled times that followed. He became America's first true clothing designer when he developed the uniforms used by Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders during their historic charge up San Juan Hill. Roosevelt said of his favorite hunting partner: "Bully for Ruff! The khaki uniforms blended perfectly with the sandy slopes. My men were camou flaged in that very crucial moment of the attack." During the 1 900 Olympic Games in Paris, Ruff was once again called to aid his country. It seems that the team's equipment and uniforms had been "lost" en route to the games, and they needed new ones Fast. ' Ruff caught the next steamer to France, and by its arrival he had completed sewing by hand enough uniforms for the entire team. Several days later, one of the Amer ican track and field competitors fell ill ol food poisoning, further raising doubts in the minds of Americans and ' the rest of the world. Ruff, the patriot he was, jumped in the place of the ill runner at the last moment and. before thousands of astonished fans, won the gold medal for America. "He was the greatest athlete IVe ever known," said track legend Jim Thorpe of Ruff Hewn, "but more importantly, he was American!" Speculations about German espion age during the games were true, and the United States soon became engaged in World War I. Ruff once again came to his country's aid by designing the uniforms used by Woodrow Wilson's "Dough Boys" that fought overseas. Thanks to the efforts of Ruff and the American soldiers, the nation came out of the war a world power. In the 1940s America entered World War II. and Ruff was recommissioned into the army as a colonel. The boys from home and their allies were getting picked off like flies on all fronts, largely due to the heavy clothing they wore. . R uf f immediately, moved his design ; apparatus and advisory staff to the German front in France and was instructed by the President to report directly to General Eisenhower. There he developed the still popular "Army Cloth" which undoubtedly saved hundreds of American lives. Wherever there was a combat urgency, you could find Col. Hewn solving big problems. When the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Hewn felt it was time to get out of public service. War was becoming too complicated, as was life. It was time to retire for Ruff Hewn. The life and times of Ruff Hewn has been captured by the line of clothing presently being marketed by W&J Rives Company of High Point. The hero of America for many years is still getting the attention of clothing marketers nationwide. The only problem with the Ruff Hewn line is that it is all a sham. Ruff Hewn never lived, according to W&J Rives and Co. he is a fictional character created by designer Dennis Marchman to promote the line. And evidently it has worked. Sales have increased by 500 percent since Ruff Hewn was introduced to the market five years ago, and many fashion experts feel that , Ruff. Hewn will ssoon join, the ranks iof Gloria Vanderbuilt; and i the others. - So. in the words of Teddy Roosevelt: "Bully for Ruff!" IGiEERilGSCIEKIGES IFIFIKWS (X1 The Army is looking for 1986 graduates in Engineering and Science disciplines to serve as commissioned officers. For those who qualify, this program could be an important step toward a rewarding career in or out of the Army. You've worked long and hard to earn your Bachelor of Science degree. A commission in the Army is a good way to use your technical exper tise while gaining valuable supervisory ex perience. And the opportunity is available now! An Army placement officer is available to discuss opportunities and qualifications with those about to receive degrees in Engineering or Science. Contact him direct to arrange an ap pointment convenient for you. Call: U.S. Army Recruiting Station 905 W. Main Street Bright Leaf Square Durham, NC 688-8071 I W j i
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 21, 1986, edition 1
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