Irving Archives and Museum is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibition, Cheer Couture: The Creation of an Icon, celebrating the history and enduring legacy of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform. The exhibit will run through December 8, 2024.

This exhibition takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the creation of one of the most recognized uniforms in sports history. Designed in 1972 by Paula Van Wagoner, a Dallas-based fashion designer, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform revolutionized cheerleading with its sexy yet tasteful look, combining elements of western wear with the trends of the time. What began as a one-season design has become an enduring symbol of American pop culture, still in use more than 50 years later.

Cheer Couture: The Creation of an Icon highlights the pivotal role that Paula Van Wagoner, Lester Melnick, and Lorch Folzs played in transforming the image of cheerleaders from high school students in pleated skirts to a professional dance team in eye-catching uniforms. Visitors will learn how a casual conversation between Cowboys General Manager Tex Schram and Melnick led to the creation of a uniform that would not only define the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders but also shape the identity of cheerleading worldwide.

Exhibit highlights include:

• The original sketch of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader uniform, donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2018.
• A detailed backstory of Paula Van Wagoner’s role in designing the uniform.
• Memorabilia from over the years, including items commemorating the Cowboys' Super Bowl XXX victory in 1996 and the 2007 limited-edition Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Barbie doll.
• In addition, the exhibit features rare photographs and artifacts, such as the invitation to the Smithsonian donation event, where Paula Van Wagoner reunited with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 2016, alongside her niece Inga Van Wagoner, who was a Cowboys Cheerleader in 1995 and 1996.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the story behind an iconic piece of fashion history that has become synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys and American culture.