What comes to mind when you hear the word "archives?" Dusty shelves with rows of tidy boxes? Dimly lit, windowless basement rooms? Although this is what many people may envision, at Levi Strauss & Co., "archives" means something completely different.
Our historical collections of documents, clothing, photographs, films, posters, advertising materials and artifacts - dating back to the mid 1800s and including such items as the 1974 Levi's® edition of the Gremlin automobile - comprise one of the most fascinating corporate archives in the world. But our Archives are more than boxes of jeans or reels of old commercials. It's a living, working and vital part of our business.
The Levi Strauss & Co. Archives is a kind of laboratory for innovation and new design ideas. Our designers from around the world are its most frequent visitors. A 130-year-old pair of Levi's® jeans can either be authentically replicated for our Levi's® Vintage Clothing line or the inspiration for an innovative finish on a pair of our most cutting-edge new jeans.
The Levi Strauss & Co. Archives helps us build our future by providing insight into our unique and legendary past.
Many items and historical information from the Levi Strauss & Co. Archives are available for public viewing in our Visitors Center, located in the lobby of our headquarters in San Francisco. And we are happy to assist with questions you might have about our history or products.
Here's a quick snapshot of what we have in our Archives.
CONTENTS
Documents: 400 linear feet
Photographs: 4,500 photos
Garments: 5,000 pieces
Marketing materials: 750 linear feet
Posters: 500 pieces
Artifacts: 300 pieces
INTERESTING HOLDINGS
- The "XX" - the oldest pair of 501® jeans in the world, from c1879
- 10 pairs of jeans from the 19th century
- A pair of jeans from 1938 that towed a car
- Denim jackets redesigned or decorated by Elton John, Queen Latifah, Yves St. Laurent, Elizabeth Taylor and others
- A pair of jeans that prevented a child from being burned
- Letters from Cary Grant, Henry Kissinger, Clint Eastwood, Lady Bird Johnson, and silent-movie cowboy William S. Hart
- A one-piece garment for women called "Freedom-Alls" from 1918
- A denim tuxedo jacket made for Bing Crosby in 1951
- A jacket and pair of jeans signed by The Rolling Stones
WHO USES THE ARCHIVES
- Designers, pattern makers
- Print and broadcast media
- Marketing Agencies
- Executive Office