Think classic American. Think comfort. Think effortless cool. Obviously, think Levi’s. And then, thank German immigrant, Levi Strauss, and his Latvian tailor, Jacob Davis, for giving the world its most popular garment: the blue jeans. In a relaxed fit and sturdy canvas material that could take any amount of wear and tear, the pants were designed by the duo specifically for American workmen back in 1873. One hundred and fifty years on, they’re still as comfortable and durable, only now, they’re a wardrobe staple not just for workmen, but for every man, woman and child across the globe. Cutting across cultures, transcending all boundaries of age and gender, jeans have become the most iconic and influential piece of garment ever created.
Of course, many brands have followed in Levi’s footsteps over the years. And many are hugely popular as well. But when we talk of the gold standard in denim, there can be no other. To truly celebrate its present milestone, however, we need to go back into its past to know how it all began. Strauss started
a textile trading business in San Francisco around 1858. Reno-based Davis used to purchase bolts of denim cloth from Levi Strauss & Co’s wholesale unit. After one of Davis’s customers kept purchasing cloth to reinforce torn pants, he had an idea to use copper rivets to reinforce the points of strain, such as on the pocket corners and at the base of the button fly. Davis did not have the money needed to purchase a patent, so he asked Strauss if they could get into business together.
The latter accepted the offer, and in May 1873, they officially patented their rivet. This became part of their first-ever pair of jeans. Following its instant success, the patent went into public domain and lot numbers were assigned to products that were being manufactured. Number ‘501’ was used to designate the famous copper-riveted waist overalls. And thus were born the 501 jeans.
Till the 1920s, however, sales were largely confined to the US’s wild west and worn by cowboys, lumberjacks and railroad workers. A big boost happened during World War II, when hard-wearing blue jeans with rivets were declared an essential commodity and sold only to people engaged in defence work. Between the 1950s and 1990s, they became popular among youth subcultures, including greasers, mods, rockers and hippies, cementing the brand’s place as a market leader a success story that continues to this day. It is this achievement that the brand is celebrating with the launch of its new collection of 501s—both historical reproductions and modern iterations. Karyn Hillman, the brand’s Chief Product Officer, says, “As we celebrate 150 years of our 501s, we also commemorate 150 years of a beloved global icon of culture, enduring style and authentic self-expression.
The 501 has transcended from pure utilitarian workwear to an everyday uniform adopted by fans around the globe, across multiple generations. With such a monumental anniversary, we’ve leaned into our history while threading through innovation and modernity to bring a unique and exciting range for today.” It includes a limited-edition International 501 Jeans, banner prints and a special Levi’sXDeepika Padukone 501 Jeans, exclusive to India.
The International 501 Jeans collection comprises its unique Shrink-to-Fit selvedge pair that features the brand’s iconic red tab, rivets, leather patch, and pocket flashers translated into six different languages––Japanese, Hindi, Spanish, French, Korean and Simplified Chinese. These unique sundry details celebrate the global appeal of the world’s most iconic jeans in a personalised way for countries and cultures across the world.
The Levi’sXDeepika Padukone 501 Edition is exclusive to India. Offered in deep brown, it features unique tonal embroidery on the back pockets, a subtle and elevated addition. These can be paired with a matching 90s’ trucker jacket for a full head-to-toe look.
The bright banner prints collection takes inspiration from Levi’s archive and original dry goods signage from the 30s to the 50s. These include jeans, shorts, shirts and jackets that can be layered, styled in hookups, or used as an accent with a classic 501 original.
Actor Brad Pitt once said, “Levi’s 501 jeans are the only thing that fit me.” He is not alone. Millions of people around the world swear by their favourite pair of Levi’s, whether vintage or new, straight or skinny, dark or faded. Which one’s yours?