Why Levi’s is wearing the trousers in the denim business
11.8.2018
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Jeans have evolved from no-frills work wear to the most popular leg apparel. The fashion item mainly owes its success to the Levi Strauss Company.
The first time I felt the urge to own a designer garment was in college. I needed to have a pair of Levi’s jeans. This marked the beginning of the end for me. The jeans were my entry drug to the world of designer fashion – an addiction I’d rather not discuss here…
Back to the pants. I begged and pleaded with my mother until she eventually caved. I distinctly remember my first pair of denim jeans: A pair of classic dark-blue «501». That particular model didn’t fit me very well as I later realised but I couldn’t have cared less. I was as pleased as punch when I walked my pride and joy to school for the first time.
And I wasn’t the only one with the bug. To date, the brand is one of the most popular jeans labels out there – even though their products were originally meant to be work trousers.
American Dream
German immigrant Levi Strauss was not following the call of freedom when he left Buttenheim for New York in 1847 but the call of his older brothers. His siblings had made a name for themselves in the textile business on the east coast of the states.
Six years later, Levi set off for San Francisco because of the gold rush and established the Levi Strauss Company. His plan was to equip all the miners with extremely durable work trousers with fortified pockets to hold tools. Strauss and his business buddy Jacobs Davis later patented this special method of using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets.
A decision worth its weight in gold
It didn’t take long until this hard-wearing garment turned from work wear into leisure wear. American GIs brought their favourite off-duty pants across the pond, where they caused a true boom.
One of today’s best-selling jeans are the «501». They owe their name to the fact that Strauss started to number all his goods from 1880. The classic worker’s trousers got the production number «501». Meanwhile, the classic is available in different versions. And there is no end to the success in sight.
I’d like to pay homage to the «501» with this ad from 1990:
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When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
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