Levis Vintage Range
Now that everyone and their mum has their own jeans label, droves of clued up hep cats are turning back to the superlative original-the Levi's 501 XX capital E - the most iconic garment ever produced. Never has an item of clothing inspired such adoration, commanded such high prices or been the chosen mufti for so many global arbiters of taste from Clark Gable to Marilyn Monroe to Johnny Depp. It is a totally unique product.
Yet, even with such sublime credentials in 1985 Levi’s phased out the line causing a worldwide feeding frenzy as collectors tried to amass what was left of the once disposable work item. Levi’s themselves bought one pair for $46,000 while, in the early eighties it was not uncommon to see pairs changing hands for thousands of pounds.
But luckily for the aficionado, of late the line has been reissued in all it’s glory under the collective title of, Levis Vintage, that boasts all of the companies 20th century classics - each lovingly replicated to the last detail.
“The classic Levi 501 XX is the staple item of any life well lived.” proclaims BBC London broadcaster and style pundit Robert Elms “All other jeans are a facsimile, a fake or at best an homage to the real originals. From cowboys to rude boys they have always been a sign of sartorial savvy.”
And it seems that the stylishly informed agree: Paul Weller favours the classic 1966 slim line Levi so beloved of early Mods; Suggs of Madness shows a distinct penchant for the 1947 XX, The Strokes do a narrow ripped ‘66 a la Ramones, while Noel Gallagher claims the only labels he wears are Levis and Adidas.
The unsung inventor of the Levi 501 was the immigrant Latvian tailor, Jacob Davis, who in December 1870, was commissioned by the wife of an uncommonly corpulent woodcutter to make a pair of trousers that would contain her spouse. Paid $3 in advance, Davis used rivets he’d previously used to secure leather straps to horse blankets to fasten the trouser pockets and a classic was born. Soon after, Davis approached his friendly haberdasher, Levi Strauss, and offered him half share of the business if he would cough up the $68 patent application fee- and the rest, as they say, is history.