Safely preserved in a vault deep inside their headquarters in San Francisco lies an archive of over 20,000 rare and unique examples of Levi’s clothing and artefacts dating back to as early as 1873.
Kept in an even temperature and wrapped in unbleached cotton, these delicate specimens are carefully protected by the Levi’s historian and strictly reserved for the use of their designers. Each season, their team pores through the archives with white-gloved hands, uncovering the secrets of their past and then bringing them back into the world through faithful reproductions that are as fresh now as they were back then.
Although the Levi’s 501 is arguably the most important garment of the modern age, Levi Strauss and Company is also responsible for introducing or popularizing a series of other iconic pieces of clothing throughout the last two centuries. Each season, Levi’s Vintage Clothing offers a selection of the most notorious of these “icons”, reproducing the fits, fabrics and details of the original garments found in the Levi’s Archives.
Levi’s Vintage 1976 501 Jeans
Rigid
26408-0000
Price: £169.00
“The 1950’s Sportswear Tee reflects the shift to a more leisure, relaxed American lifestyle. It echoes the iconic “street toughs” uniform, popularized by Marlon Brando’s character in “The Wild One,” a hit film at the time. Cut for a boxy fit from knit cotton jersey, it features period-specific details such as shorter capped sleeves, a single chest pocket, and our 1950’s-era Levi Strauss & Co. Sportswear of California label.”
Levi’s Vintage 1950’s Sportswear Tee
Black
40850-0072
Price: £65.00
Levi’s Vintage 1950’s Sportswear Tee
Grey Mele
40850-0073
Price: £65.00
Levi’s Vintage 1950’s Sportswear Tee
Banana/Peanut
40850-0080
Price: £65.00
“The Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1947 501s were the jeans of a new generation. After World War II, raw materials became available again, so Levi’s jeans could now be made with their original features. Levi Strauss & Co. leapt back into heavy production to meet the growing demand. By the late 1940s, Levi’s jeans were updated and aimed at the emerging middle class. With a slimmer fit and no extra details like the cinch or suspender buttons, the 1947 501s were jeans ready for the changing times. However, they still marked the return of familiar, classic 501 features. For instance, the watch pocket rivets were brought back after their wartime hiatus. Additionally, the back pocket arcuate detail was no longer applied with paint as it was during the war – Levi’s returned to the original stitched design, but it came back in a different form. Thanks to new double-needle technology, the famed double-arched stitch could be mass-produced in uniform size and design, no longer subject to the sewing skills of the individual worker. We have reproduced all of these details, and used the same selvedge denim from Cone Mills of North Carolina – a Levi’s brand partner for over 100 years.”
Levi’s Vintage 1947 501 Jeans
Rigid
47501-0167
Price: £179.00
“The Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1947 501 was the jean of a new generation. After World War II, raw materials became available again, so Levi’s jeans could now be made with their original features. Levi Strauss & Co. leapt back into heavy production to meet the growing demand. By the late 1940’s, Levi’s jeans were updated and aimed at the emerging middle class. With a slimmer fit and no extra details like the cinch or suspender buttons, the 1947 501 was a jean ready for the changing times. However, it still marked the return of familiar, classic 501 features. For instance, the watch pocket rivets were brought back after their wartime hiatus. Additionally, the back pocket Arcuate detail was no longer applied with paint as it was during the war—Levi’s returned to the original stitched design, but it came back in a different form. Thanks to new double-needle technology, the famed double-arched stitch could be mass-produced in uniform size and design, no longer subject to the sewing skills of the individual worker. We have reproduced all of these details, and used the same selvedge denim from Cone Mills of North Carolina—a Levi’s brand partner for over 100 years.”
Levi’s Vintage 1947 501 Jeans
Earthquake
47501-0176
Price: £179.00
“The Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1954 501 Jeans were originally released as the “501 Z” and represent Levi’s expansion into new territory. In the mid-1950s, Levi’s started selling its trademark 501 Jeans on the East Coast. Up to this point, Western states had been the primary sales region since the jeans first came about in 1873, and there the garment had grown a loyal following. East Coasters, however, were largely unfamiliar with these button fly work trousers. To make it more approachable for new wearers, Levi’s introduced a new version. They took the original 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans, replaced the classic button fly with a zip, and named them the “501 Z”. They retained all the other details loved by longtime wearers: the famed fit, rivets and tough-but-flexible denim. Retailers began providing customers with both options – the 501 Jeans and their brother with the zip, the 501 Z. Today we have recreated the latter, to help tell our story of the 501s and their evolution through the decades. These jeans are made with selvedge denim from Cone Mills of North Carolina – a Levi’s brand partner for over 100 years.”
Levi’s Vintage 1954 501 Jeans
Rigid
50154-0068
Price: £179.00
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