By SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE
Published January 10, 2004
Over the years, Levi's jeans have been a symbol of frontier independence, equality, rebellion and fun. They're both work pant and fashion statement. The company has supplied the costume for social change throughout U.S. history, from the California gold rush to casual Fridays.
But in recent years, the San Francisco company has faced serious trouble because younger buyers viewed Levi's as the old-fashioned jeans their parents used to wear. Now, this quintessential American uniform won't be made in this country anymore. Levi Strauss & Co. closed its last two U.S. manufacturing plants in San Antonio, Texas, on Thursday as part of its turnaround plan. The company will contract out manufacturing overseas.
Here's a look at the fashion icon, which has been around for more than a century.
STRINGING ALONG: It takes 213 yards of thread to make one pair of Levi's 501 jeans.
THOSE RIVETS: Since its 1873 patent, when rivets were added to strengthen seams, Levi's jeans have been prized for their durability and protection.
RED TAB VS. ORANGE TAB: The primary difference between Levi's Red Tab and Orange Tab jeans is the sewing method. The Red Tab jean is constructed in the original sewing method. So Red Tab has six rivets on the front pocket instead of five on Orange Tab, seven belt loops instead of five and more finished stitching.
Through the years ...
1853: Levi Strauss moves to San Francisco to start a business supplying gold rush miners with clothes.
1873: Strauss' partner, tailor Jacob Davis, first fashions heavy cotton cloth, thread and metal rivets into sturdy "waist overalls." They cost $1.25. (In an eBay auction in 2001, a pair from the 1880s fetched $46,532.)
1890: The lot number 501 is assigned to Levi's waist overalls.
1930s: The Hollywood film industry gives rise to the western, which earns jeans cult status through their association with a pop idol, the cowboy.
1940s: U.S. soldiers wear Levi's jeans and jackets overseas, giving them international exposure.
1954-1955 In the movie The Wild One (above left), Marlon Brando's blue jeans launches Levi's fashion statement of independence, rebellion and youthful rejection of the business suit. It is further enhanced by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (above right). The fact that jeans are not allowed in schools at the time probably helps increase their appeal.
1969: Levi's introduces bell bottoms to its line and remains part of the counter-culture uniform. Soon after comes customized embroidered, studded and patched jeans.
1980s: Designer jeans move into the marketplace. As dueling labels and odd trends such as acid-washed jeans hit the stores, Levi's launches its "back to basics" campaign. The pedigree of the 501 pleases label-conscious yuppies.
1986: With the introduction of the Dockers brand, the company creates a new category of casual clothing, bridging the gap between suits and jeans. Casual Fridays soon follow in offices everywhere.
1992: Levi Strauss & Co. becomes the first Fortune 500 company to extend full medical benefits to employees' domestic partners.
2000: Time magazine's millennium issue names Levi's 501 jeans the best fashion of the 20th century, beating out the miniskirt and the little black dress.
2003: Mired in a seven-year sales slump brought about by a teen market that views 501s as boring, the company battles to improve its tarnished credit rating. Its sales for its fiscal year ending in late November come to about $4-billion, down from a peak of $7.1-billion in 1996. Hopes are pinned on its Signature series, which is being sold in Wal-Mart.
- Sources: Levi Strauss & Co., Images Fashion, Elements of Style by Phillip Bloch, Time, the Associated Press.
