The Gillette Big Fellow marks a unique time in the world's history, and Gillette being the prime example of an opportunistic marketer decided to capitalize. World War I has ended and soldiers are returning home to an economy that is on fire with production, but desperate for workers. The casualties from WWI have created a demand and blue collar positions were paying top dollar. This created a booming middle class and finally these workers were able to have discretionary income.

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It was a long way up for the humble zipper, the mechanical wonder that has kept our lives "together" in many ways. The zipper was invented with the work of several dedicated inventors, though none convinced the general public to accept the zipper as part of everyday life. It was the magazine and fashion industry that made the novel zipper the popular item it is today.

Learn about the history of the zipper