LS&Co. Unzipped
Feb 24 2012
Five Things You Don’t Know About Levi Strauss on His Birthday
February 26 is a special day at Levi Strauss & Co. It’s Levi Strauss’ birthday. In honor of this occasion, we’re sharing five unusual factoids you might not know about the founder of Levi Strauss & Co.:
1. Levi never wore jeans in his life
By the time the jeans were invented in 1873, Levi was a wealthy businessman and a well-known merchant throughout the West. His daily wardrobe was a dark suit and sparkling clean white shirt. Jeans, however, were for the men who needed the sturdy pants for tough jobs like mining, carpentry, or working on the San Francisco docks. Levi may never have worn them, but he made the best – and the first – jeans in the world.
2. He lived across the street from the San Francisco flagship store
The San Francisco flagship Levi’s® store on Union Square is located across the street from where Levi Strauss used to live. From 1863 until 1865 Levi lived on Stockton Street, just north of Post Street.
3. He went global before going global was mainstream.
Before Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis created the first jeans in 1873, Levi was a wholesaler of fine dry goods: clothing, blankets, boots, combs, etc. He arrived in San Francisco in 1853, and by the 1860s and early 1870s he had retail customers for his dry goods throughout the Pacific Rim: in Victoria, British Columbia; La Paz, Mexico; and Yokohama, Japan. Levi never had a retail store: his specialty was wholesale distribution and the company had a huge warehouse on the San Francisco waterfront to serve his retail customers.
4. A customer once threatened Levi’s life.
A Calaveras County, California storekeeper named Antonio Gagliardo was one of Levi Strauss & Co.’s retail customers in 1885. His store went out of business, so he wrote to Levi, asking him to “use his influence” to help him obtain a clerical job. Levi sent him $50 instead (worth about $1,200 today), which apparently enraged Gagliardo. He wrote Levi again, and told him that he had ten days to help him get a job or he would “blow Levi’s head off.” When he showed up in San Francisco he was arrested, but Levi refused to prosecute him, because he extracted a promise from Gagliardo that he would not carry out his threat. He kept his promise, and soon left the city.
5. His philanthropy extended beyond California.
You may know that Levi gave a lot of time and money to charities in San Francisco, but you may not know he also helped people well beyond its borders. In October of 1871 a huge, multi-day fire destroyed three square miles of the city of Chicago. Hundreds of people were killed and left homeless. Levi instructed the company bookkeeper to send $100 to the “Chicago Relief Fund of the Citizens and Associations of California” to help the people of that city. This amount is equivalent to about $1,800 today.
Levi Strauss
Posted By: Mia Rubie, Associate Editor, LS&Co. Unzipped |
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2013
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Lori Francis (not verified) - Feb 03 2013
I, too, have been searching for 100% cotton jeans. I have always loved Levi's and never thought they would do away with 100% cotton jeans. I just want to put on a regular pair of cotton jeans. Stretch jeans are ok for a fashionable "going out" look, but who wants to wear stretch jeans while hanging around on a casual weekend, if you want to go horseback riding, work in the garden, etc. Please bring back your 100% cotton jeans. Stretch jean are NOT jeans!! Thanks.
Mariana (not verified) - Oct 30 2012
I'm another customer looking -- desperately -- for 100% cotton jeans for women. I remember buying Levi's jeans when I was young, they were so good. What happened??? This spandex 'jeans' are ridiculous.
rachelle fowler (not verified) - Oct 01 2012
what was it like before levi strauss made jeans?
Donna Poggi (not verified) - Jul 23 2012
I continually do searches for women's 100% cotton jeans, please non of the stretch (fat society) stuff please. There is rarely anything available that is reasonable. Just now - 501s only in 32 length- come on. There is a major market for all cotton women's jeans - go after it.
Editor's note: Hi Donna, and thanks for your comment. I'll share your feedback with our merchant and design folks with Levi's® brand.
tim sheehy (not verified) - Feb 28 2012
Why did Levi's feel the need to ruin their 505 product? I just bought a pair and am writing a letter of complaint to Kohl's, suggesting they remove these inferior products from their stores. I got my first pair of Levi's when I was 5 years old and I am now 51. The quality of your product is so poor I can hardly believe it. Is no one at Levi's answerable to this poorly executed change? Try looking at the internet and read the thousands of complaints about Levi's. Look at the feedback on Amazon regarding 505's....almost all negative. Pathetic. Why not do what Coke did when they screwed up: admit you mistake and go back to putting out a quality product. Tim Sheehy, former customer, Winchester, MA
Cheryl (not verified) - Feb 26 2012
February 27, 2012 would be even a BETTER day if I see Levi's went back to the REAL WAY to make women's jeans. 100% COTTON with included a pocket that my hand would fit into. Dump the spandex look that makes them look FAKE. And bring back a pocket that my hand fits into. Not one that stops at the middle of my fingers. Ladies 550, 100% cotton jeans. Now THOSE are REAL jeans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lajuana moore (not verified) - Feb 26 2012
Doing an analysis of the Levi Strauss company for class -needed some info about the company. Had NO idea it was his birthday! Hope it bodes well that I am up at almost 3am working on this Levi paper on Levi's birthday !
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