Ours is a story of cultural evolution dating back to the 19th Century, when to be a true Dude meant having the spirit to be different from the mainstream.  

With his swanky long jackets, cravats and spick and span shiny shoes, New York socialite Evander Berry Wall epitomised the fashion of refined extravagance. He was recognised for his conspicuously colourful attire in 1888, when he was crowned ‘King of the Dudes’ in a New York newspaper.

Whatever the true origins of the word Dude, it has evolved in meaning over more than a century of everyday usage to become a more inclusive form of banter. Where once, only men were called Dudes and women were referred to Dudettes, the term is now universally accepted as unisex. 

In the 1970s, the name Dude was adopted by the surfing community as part of their hippie-style language.

In the same decade, David Bowie’s genius led to the creation of the glam-rock anthem ‘All the Young Dudes’, which he wrote as a salvation song for the band Mott the Hoople, ensuring their place in the Rock ‘n’ Roll hall of fame.