LS&Co. Unzipped

May 22 2013

An Amsterdam Afternoon

Editor’s note: Levi Strauss & Co. Historian Lynn Downey marks the 140^th anniversary of the blue jean – the Levi’s® 501® jean – with a near-global tour. Here, we join her on a recent stop in Amsterdam.

Everywhere I've gone on this 501® jeans anniversary road show, I’ve worked with wonderful Levi Strauss & Co. colleagues. Amsterdam was no exception. Since this was my first visit there, being able to see it through the eyes of our team members made it doubly rewarding.

Spending time in Amsterdam was, as it has been in every city, a blast. It was especially fun for me because our sales office occupies two historic buildings: a former firehouse, and a former stable (later converted to a garage when the car replaced the horse). When you're a historian, it doesn't get better than that.

You could say that the firehouse and stable – much like our Levi’s® 501® jeans -- have undergone an elegant transition from historic to modern, while preserving all of their beauty and identity.

Philip Brown, from the Levi’s® brand merchandising team, popped over from Brussels to co-present with me, sharing his take on the modern story of the 501® and bridging the past to our latest 501® in stores this year. If you haven’t seen the new, non-denim version in some very cool colors, you should check them out.

The session kicked off with “show and tell.” From the “XX” – the oldest pair of jeans from our collection, dating back to 1879, to a pair of jeans signed by Mick Jagger (and the Rolling Stones), the artifacts bring to mind stories of their owners, of the wacky and wonderful ways we acquired the pieces, and of the valuable conservation and restoration skills employed to maintain them.

My colleagues and I also discussed changing consumer needs over time and the history that drove the evolution of the modern day 501® jean. Philip covered the changes and the thinking behind the new 501® colored and non-denim versions -- and our new Ekocycle collaboration, offering the 501® in a Waste<Less™ edition. His message was clear: We want today’s denim enthusiasts to love the 501®, while staying true to the consumers who’ve been loyal to it for years and years.

Inquisitive employees kept me on my toes during the Q&A part of the program. Questions ranged from: “Do employees send you pieces for the Archive?” (Answer: yes, and yes please if they are good finds – the 501® non-denim will have to be added to it!) to “how many pieces do you have in your own wardrobe?” (Answer: about 10 pairs of jeans, including one really amazing pair that I love from the 1960s).

To wrap things up, Philip and I invited all the employees wearing their 501® jeans to join us at the front of the room. Then he and I picked the best personal 501® interpretation. A shout-out goes to winner Elvert, a brand presentation assistant from our Levi’s XX office.

We wrapped up the afternoon allowing the employees to see and photograph the various pieces from our archives. Working among these items, it’s easy for me to forget the impression they can make. As one colleague told me, “I had no idea we had SO much history – it’s inspiring and wonderful.”

Next stop…London!

Posted By: Lynn Downey, Historian, Levi Strauss & Co.
	Tags: Denim,Fashion,Levi Strauss & Co.,Levi's®,Style

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