LS&Co. Unzipped
Jul 02 2013
Lynn in Berlin. And Moscow.
Editor’s note: Levi Strauss & Co. Historian Lynn Downey marks the 140th anniversary of the blue jean – the Levi’s® 501® jean – with a near-global tour. Here’s her account of stops in Berlin and Moscow.
As Levi Strauss & Co.’s historian, going to Germany is like going home. In my 23 years with the company, I’ve been here more than any other country. And that’s appropriate, since this is where our founder, Levi Strauss, was born.
In Berlin, my only German stop on the 501® Jean Roadshow, I had a full day of interviews and presentations at a lovely 1920s-era hotel. My audience was a collection of equally lovely journalists and bloggers, all of whom seemed to appreciate seeing the vintage jeans I brought with me.
I also had the distinct pleasure of visiting with an old friend, Tanja Roppelt. Tonja is the director of the Levi Strauss Museum in Buttenheim, in the house where Levi was born in 1829. She took the train at the crack of dawn to spend the day with me in Berlin on my day off. We went to the beautiful Levi’s store, had lunch, and then went to the Jewish Museum, designed by famed architect Daniel Liebeskind. They even had a small exhibit about Levi and his life in Germany.
In addition to being the country of Levi’s birth, the company has another strong connection to Germany and, in particular, Berlin. In 1989, our jeans were catapulted onto the global stage when the Berlin wall fell, becoming a symbol of Western freedom and the uniform of choice for the city’s pioneers.
From Berlin, I traveled to Moscow – a mecca for history buffs like myself. From the 12th century fortress that became the Kremlin, to Red Square, to the unbelievably colorful St. Basel cathedral, Moscow has much to fascinate. And it also has quite a lot of Levi’s® fans.
My Levi’s® brand PR colleagues invited journalists from Russia and Poland to my presentation. It took place at our store in a gorgeous mall called “GUM,” which has been a shopping center for over a century.
I shared interview duties that night with my Belgian colleague Christophe Winnock. Christopher focused his remarks on the new 501® jean, while I laid out how we got from our humble beginnings to where we are now.
That same evening, a second event was held at the gallery space White Studio, decorated with the latest 501® collection. Live models were on hand to present the line and the different ways of styling the new 501®.
Christophe and I spoke to a diverse group of approximately 100 editors, bloggers, fashion students and trendsetters. Guests who did not speak English received simultaneous translation via headphone systems. I wish I had a recording to see what my remarks sound like in Russian.
A key highlight for me that evening was reading a 1991 letter to the company from a Russian teacher, expressing her joy about her first pair of 501® jeans.
What made this cool event even more amazing was the fact that it was live streamed on Russian Vogue magazine’s web site!
The next day, we held an employee event at the Moscow Levi’s® office, where I had the privilege of exchanging stories with my Russian colleagues – and bringing a bit of San Francisco to Moscow. That wonderful visit was followed by a tour of the heart and history of Moscow.
This trip – in Asia and Europe – reminded me again of the impact of our company and the Levi’s® brand. I don’t say that in a bragging way, but, rather, humbly. It’s such a privilege for me to be a keeper of the company’s history – and to tell our stories to employees, reporters and others around the world who share my fascination with the Levi’s® brand.
Sharing Levi's® history in Berlin.
Posted By: Lynn Downey, Historian, Levi Strauss & Co. |
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Herry Eka Iswanto (not verified) - Jul 19 2013
Hi Lynn, I need info about Levi's jeans with big size? Thanks
Editor's note: Hi Herry. Your best bet is to contact Lynn directly: ldowney (at) levi.com. She'll need more details, of course, than what you've provided here. If this isn't a question about historic Levi's®, you may want to use the Help/Contact Us page on this site.
Jeanette Coody, (not verified) - Jul 02 2013
Thrilled to see your picture in Germany presenting the famous Levis 501 jeans. I remember the feeling.......
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