Levi Strauss
Posted on
When you think about it there isn't any other garment that's as widely loved or an absolute wardrobe necessity as the iconic denim jeans. Everyone you know will have a pair or at least owned one at some point in their life. It's hard to imagine a world without it because it's such as classic staple. Levi's Strauss….name ring a bell? The Godfather of denim jeans. Let's wish Strauss a Happy Birthday and remember his legacy as one of the first innovators of denim jeans.
Born on 25th February 1829 in Bavaria (Germany), Levi immigrated to
New York in 1848 where he learnt the wholesales business craft from
his brother. Denim first emerged in
the 18th century as the cotton plantations were thriving, jeans
made from cotton and dyed with indigo as they were
durable. It was around the time of Strauss' arrival in New York
that the Gold rush occurred in San Francisco in 1848. Miner workers
desperately required new work wear that was a lot stronger and
versatile.
Soo fast forward to a few years later in 1853 Strauss built his own
wholesale business under the name Levi's Strauss & Co
in San Francisco supplying workers clothes. May 20th 1873 marked
the day Levi's patented their first pair of jeans. Jeans (actually
called waist overalls back in the
day) were made from denim as they were usually the fabric for men's
work wear.By the 1880's Straus opened his own factory. There he
created the famous 501 jeans which at the time was simply named
'XX'. It soon became an instant success and a bestseller for its
comfort and durability. Levis Strauss & co had become
synonymous with denim.
