In spite of the denim jeans being invented in the 1800s they have withstood the test of time and the drastic changeability of trends to remain an important part of peoples lives today. Jeans have come along way from initially starting in the mines as work wear, they grew as product into fashion and are now one of the largest well known brands ever created. Levis denim jeans have crossed boundaries of class age and nationality.
LEVI STRAUSS MANAGED TO ENRICH STYLE OF BOTH THE UNEMPLOYED & MILLIONAIRES. Levi Strauss was originally from Germany. At the age of 18 Levi his mother and two sisters traveled to the United States to join his brothers - who had begun a wholesale dry goods business in New York City called J. Strauss Brother & Co. The young Levi Strauss started studying the trading business and in 1850 he became an expert in the trade and changed his name to Levi. He also gained citizenship shortly after.
In 1848 gold was discovered outside Sacramento , California which unleashed the first “gold rush�. Tens of thousands of people from around the world traveled to northern California hoping to make a fortune in the gold rush. In 1853 Levi Strauss like thousands of others moved to San Fransisco. With is plan to make money in dry goods , selling clothing sewing materials and ready made cloth.
1853 THE GOLD RUSH
1873 He intended to sell clothes and equipment to the gold diggers. He gave a length of rough fabric to a tailor who transformed it into 10 pairs of working trousers. The gold diggers bought them instantly as for a long time they had needed hard wearing trousers. They could use the super imposed pockets to fit gold and tools into. Later Levi Strauss replaced this material (canvas) with denim. A dense cotton fabric. The choice of the dark blue colour was indigo - This is because in the 19thC indigo was the cheapest dye for fabric. Levi received a letter from Jacob Davis with an idea , he suggested strengthening both pockets and fasteners of the jeans with horse harness rivets. In May 1873 Rivets were on all of Levis Strauss jeans. Levi Strauss & Jacob Davis joined forces and were granted a patent on the process of riveting pants by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on may 20. It is patent number 139,121 and this is the invention of the blue jean.
THE NAME DENIM COMES FROM A TOWN IN FRANCE NAMED NIMES LEVI’S HQ 14-16 BATTERY STREET SAN FRANCISCO, SINCE 1880
1880 In 1880 Rodeos were being held as professional tournaments. Many of the cowboys who entered wore Levi’s “overalls”. Probably for the same reason gold diggers did they were hard wearing and also worn for their comfort and appeal. Levi Strauss and Co. Began to sponsor both rodeos and rodeo riders back in the 1920’s and used the sports popularity to advertise the 501 jeans. In 1926 Arizona native Lawton Champie won the “World’s Championship Broncho Busting Contest” at Prescott Frontier Days. Levi Strauss & CO. put his image on a flyer which salesmen gave away to retail customers this would promote the there likeability and durability. This was a huge signifier for Levi Strauss & Co. as rodeos and cowboys were a memorable part of the American culture.
“I HAVE WORN LEVI STRAUSS OVERALLS EVER SINCE A SMALL BOY. I AM OVER TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD. THE LEVI STRAUSS ARE THE ONLY CLOTHES THAT WILL REALLY STAND THE HARD ROUGH BRUSH WORK OF A COWBOY ON THE RANGE, AND THEY ARE ALSO NEAT TO WEAR”. Champie 1926
1886
1890
THE TWO HORSE In 1886 The Two Horse brand leather patch is used for the first time on waist overalls. The Same Two horse brand leather patch that would represent Levi blue jeans forever. The two horses in the patch label is to demonstrate the strength of the waist overalls. This would also reinforce Levis Strauss&co. as the originators of patent riveted clothing. In 1890 the patent would of into the public domain and Levis decided to reinforce there message of originality and strength graphically.
The rivet patent goes into the public domain in 1890 , which means Levis Strauss & Co. Is no longer the exclusive manufacturer of rivet clothing.
501速,201 To make Levi Jeans so unique lot numbers were first assigned to the jeans whilst being manufactured. 501 is used to designate the famous copper-riveted waist overalls. The 201 jean was also made which was a less expensive version of the overalls. In 1901 due to fashion evolving quickly the pants now just being called overalls have two pockets due to consumer requests and the changes in mens fashion at the time. In 1902 the successful life of Levi Strauss comes to and end he died aged 73. His descendants his nephews take over the business. They still run the company today.
1902
“AN EXPERT KNOWS ALL THE ANSWERS - IF YOU ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.” -Levi Strauss
The great depression caused a lot of problems for Levis in 1929 with the stock market crash Levis Strauss & Co. Business plummeted drastically. There was widespread unemployment that swept the country. By 1930 the company’s profits had vanished.Although they were in such a crisis the company kept workers busy putting new floors in one of its factories rather than fire them during difficult times. Showing Levis company were passionate about there workers. By 1932 The Depression had started to lessen and sales of Levis pants slowly began to pick up. Growth in popularity of Hollywood western movies further spread the word about Levi’s jeans. In its advertising the company had always emphasized durability, but now it also stressed a certain western mystique.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION
1929
Some of the richer Americans from the east couldn’t afford the luxurious European holidays that they had enjoyed before so they traveled to the American West instead. The American west was home and heart of the cowboys, the horsemanship competitions that were popular of the time helped make the jeans more acceptable and Americans bought Levis home as souvenirs. Although the great depression had a falling effect at first for Levis Strauss & Co. It became quite beneficially from the cowboys of the west , not only did it publicize the cowboys and create a vital part of culture of the time it was also a change in consumers as across America started to use jeans as casual wear.
1934 The first pair of Levi’s jeans created especially for women was sold in 1934 The line was named “Lady Levi’s”, style number 701 to distinguish them from the popular men’s 501 jean. The 701 was targeted to women working on ranches. The advertising used to sell Levis women jeans was to carry on the well known well loved blue jean. The blue jeans that were the original western wear are now for leisure moving from the hard wearing tuff overalls into fashion promoting casual wear for everyone.
To carry on growing the brand identification, the company added the trademarked red “Levi’s� tab to the back pocket of its pants in 1936.This Part of the jeans is probably one of the most recognizable characteristics of the jeans, this created a strong brand identity for the company. In 1937 there was a slight change to the overalls Levi Strauss & Co. Decided to sew the pockets in a way that they would cover the rivets. This was again in response to consumers who complained that the rivets scratched furniture and saddles. 1943 The Arcuate stitching design is registered as a trademark. It is iconic in its own right, as one of the oldest clothing trademarks still in use today.
1936
1943 Before World War II jeans were only worn in America’s Western states. People thought of them worn by cowboys & rugged, independent americans.WW11 Caused a lot of changes for the Levis they had to be adapted due to wartime rationing enforced by the U.S. government since metal, fabric and thread were needed for everything from battleships to uniforms. Colourful propaganda posters were circulated, in which jeans appeared as the symbol of unity and Americanness, there was a poster in an advertisement in 1943 of a family stood in front of the American flag asking fellow Americans to buy war bonds and support the government. Every single one of them wore blue jeans. Levi 501 jeans were also given to soldiers as necessitates in the war. When the war ended large quantities of Levis were disposed in Europe. The jeans were sold to locals and this was the start of the jeans fever in Europe.
‘‘ OBJECTS ARE WHAT MATTER ONLY THEY CARRY THE EVIDENCE THAT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES SOMETHING REALLY HAPPENED AMONG HUMAN BEINGS.” - Levi Strauss
BING CROSBY FAMOUS TUXEDO MADE FOR HIM BY LEVI’S
1950
Bing Crosby who was a huge Levis fan was on a hunting trip in Canada with a friend the pair were both dressed in denim and decided to stay the night in a hotel. The clerk refused them entry saying they weren’t dressed appropriate. The Levis team then decided to create a denim tuxedo jacket for Bing. With this label inside...
“THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AND SUCCESSFUL POPULAR PERFORMER IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY”.
1950 After the war the booming economy of the 1950s helped take Levi Strauss & Co. To another level, transitioning towards the youth by taking advantage of the demographic trends of the time. From this transition emerged the concept ‘Levis, for play, not for work’, this expanded the sales force nationwide and moved away from the rural to more urban areas.
1953 The Levi jeans started to be worn as causal wear everywhere this was the starting point in rebellion this was instigated by Marlon Brando who was a symbol of American culture. Marlon became the style icon in the most important of times forming pop culture. Marlon Brando who wore Levi Strauss jeans in ‘The Wild One’ influenced the youth.
MARLON BRANDO
This time was the changing point for jeans as we know them today , jeans did not get there name until teenagers began calling them jeans. Teenagers adopted the phrase and it caught on and was used by all manufactures. Blue jeans were part of the “uniform” of American youth. The power of U.S. media, especially television and film, then helped spread Levi’s popularity around the world. Marlon Brando and James Dean influenced the young and denim became a symbol for youth, sex and rebellion in the 1950’s. James Dean captured America’s youth after starring in two films, East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause. Denim jeans got actually banned in schools which made teenagers embraced them even more. The Hollywood designers let all bad guy characters in the movies wear denim jeans, this representing the radical counterculture. This culture was representing by young soldiers returning from war, who rode around US on a motorbike. Instead of getting married, children and a house.
JAMES DEAN
1955
1956 Another reason why the youth were so influenced was by rock & roll legend Elvis Presley we was the main cause for dark denim jeans. Upon the release of Elvis’ 1956 hit movie Jail house Rock Levi Strauss gained huge profit. In the same sense the added to the rebellion stir as Elvis was another American icon. Levi’s blue jeans were first sold in Europe in 1959; by the end of the twentieth century denim blue jeans could be found in virtually every country on the globe.1 960 The word “overalls” is replaced by the word “jeans” in advertising and on packaging.
1966 The first television commercial for Levi’s jeans is aired. This caused massive recognition for the brand and publicized Levis in a way that it hadn’t been advertised before. It wasn’t until 1986 that the first series of innovative television commercials. They represented American rock music and romance. This made Levis even more appealing to its audience.
1984 Bruce Springsteen was one of the most influential musicians in America at the time His most successful album was ‘Born to run’. This album cover featured Levis and represented the epitome of the great American lifestyle. He was admired by everybody. He was a sex symbol to young girls and a role model to men. As consequence Levi jeans were seen on every single kid.
1992 In 1984 Was when vintage Levis really came on to the scene. But it was 1990’s when the retro fever was in vogue. The way jeans were being worn was back to there roots they were being worn like when they first appeared in America large loose and hanging of your hips. Second hand jeans became hits young men and women would search high and low for vintage jeans that were no longer being made. The vintage jeans are personal as they fade depending on the user. People loved the vintage look and feel and the culture of wearing a pair of been jeans that had lived in another era. Levis have been an iconic American dream since 1853. They have stood the test time. They continue to excel in all different types of advertising and new and innovative ideas from campaigns to global marketing. They’ve been an important part of culture throughout the years from starting off in the mines being workmen’s uniform , to great American icons wearing them and influencing the new generation. Levis changed society and will always be known as the first blue jean.
“THE ORIGINAL LEVI’S 501 BUTTON FLY JEAN IS AN AMERICAN ICON THAT HAS BEEN WOVEN AND STITCHED DEEPLY INTO OUR WORLDS CULTURAL HERITAGE. FROM PRESIDENTS TO MOVIE STARS,FARMERS TO FASHION ICONS , ENTREPRENEURS TO THE EVERYMAN, THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF LEVIS 501 JEANS HAS BEEN DEFINED BY THE PEOPLE WHO WEAR THEM. NO OTHER PRODUCT HAS BEEN WORN LOVED OR RE-IMAGED QUITE LIKE LEVIS 501 JEANS. A SYMBOL OF INDIVIDUALITY AND UNIVERSALITY - THE 501 JEAN IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF PERSONAL STYLE - WORN BY THE PIONEERS WHO SHAPE OUR WORLD, GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.” Titled Time Magazine’s ‘Fashion Item of the 20th Century’