My first love was the model #501

From teenager years to now, Levis is still my favorite jean brand. What about yours?

Here is a brief description of their story:

Levi Strauss was a German-American businessman born in Bavaria on February 26th, 1829, who came to the United States with his family the mid-1800s when he was 18 years old. Strauss began as a dry goods wholesaler in San Francisco, California, where he sold various items such as clothing, bedding, bags and handkerchiefs to settlers, many of whom had arrived in California to take part in the gold rush.

Needless to say, the hard physical labor required of the miners of the day and those building new railroads made it difficult for them to find clothing that would last for more than a few months without falling apart at the seams. One day in 1870, one of Strauss’ clients, a tailor named Jacob W. Davis was approached by a woman who needed a pair of exceptionally strong working pants for her husband, a woodcutter.

Her request prompted Davis to make a pair of pants from the denim he’d bought at Strauss’ shop that he then strengthened with copper rivets to reinforce the stitching. Word of the new article of clothing and its endurance spread fast, and soon Davis was not able to keep up with the demand for his invention, nor did he have the resources to open a larger tailor shop or obtain a patent.

Falling further and further behind and afraid someone else would steal his idea, Davis decided to ask for Strauss’ financial backing in the filing of a patent application. Strauss agreed, the patent was issued, the two men became business partners, and Levi Strauss & Co was born.

To see what is happening with the brand now, check their website: www.levistrauss.com

Story content reference: Days of the Year site.