Naturally 501

Levi Strauss

Undoubtedly, jeans have been around for generations. I have never questioned their existence nor pushed the matter of their whereabouts any further. It has become a well known fact that jeans are a girl's best friend!

Over the years, denim has created a new image for itself and is now considerably more looked upon. It has changed from what it originally was - a worker's clothing - to a fashion statement that can most definitely be found in everyone's wardrobe.

There are certain things about denim, however, that I have so far failed to acknowledge, but have recently been acquainted with on my trip to the Levi Strauss museum in Buttenheim, Germany. Such things include that the founder of jeans was actually born Löb Strauss but changed his name to Levi Strauss when he moved to America at the tender age of 18 to continue the family business in wholesale dry goods.

The logo of Levi Strauss & Co.

It was not long after, in late 1872, that Jacob Davis, a Reno, Nevada tailor, started making men's work pants with metal points of strain for greater strength. He turned to Levi Strauss, from whom he purchased some of his fabric. And so the jean (or what was originally known as 'overalls' until the word jean became popular in advertising) came about.

A vintage pair of Levis 501 jeans

Levi Strauss' firm, Levi Strauss & Co., began in 1853 in San Francisco, California. Levi Strauss & Co. began manufacturing the famous Levi's brand of jeans, using fabric from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The first and arguably the most famous design was the first pair of Levis '501' Jeans which was created in the 1890s - a style that went on to become the worlds best selling item of clothing.

Levi Strauss Museum in Buttenheim, his birthplace

Levi Strauss died on September 26, 1902 at the age of 73. He never married, so he left the business to his four nephews, Jacob, Sigmund, Louis, and Abraham Stern, the sons of his sister Fanny and her husband David Stern.

When he died, there was an uproar in the public, all over America and so his name has remained well known throughout history.

It's really a surprise what can be discovered in a museum - who would have thought it?

Sophia

P.S. Go to the official Levi Strauss & Co. Online Shop here: http://eu.levi.com/en_NL/index.html