The History of Denim/Levi Jeans

18^th Century

Denim comes to America

19^th Century

1853: Levi’s first store opened at 90 Sacramento Street in San Francisco

May 20, 1873: Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss receive a patent for their new

jeans, ones with metal rivets to keep the pockets on.

1873: 3 pockets, no belt loops, “waist overalls”, 22 cents each, debut in California

1886: “501” style: a leather patch added to the waistband,

**1^st brand label on jeans

1890: 4^th pocket added to accommodate coins and pocket watches

20^th Century

1902: Levi Strauss dies

1905: 5^th “wallet” pocket is added

1906: Levi headquarters destroyed by fire/earthquake

*new ones quickly rebuilt

1913: H.D. Lee of Lee Jeans debuts the one-piece “Union-all”

1922: Belt loops added

1924: War of the weight

Levi’s weight- 10oz v. Lee’s new design- 13oz.

1926: Zippers added to Lee Jeans

1936: The red Levi’s tab is added to the back pocket

1930’s: -Blue Bell Globe (ancestor of Wrangler) emerges as a major manufacturer

-Western movies, cowboys in jeans

-The singing cowboy becomes the unofficial denim spokesperson

1940’s: WWIIàproduction of jeans is reduced

1950’s: Rebel phase

**some schools banned students from wearing denim

1960’s: -Hippies and the Cold War

-Became a symbol of ‘western decadence’ and were hard to get

-Embroidered jeans, painted jeans, psychedelic jeans…

-Mid 60’s: bell bottoms introduced

1971: Levis replaces capital “E” with a little “e” on the red tags

1970-80’s: Jean’s black market emerges

Designer jeans

-own labels

1990’s: Oversized jeans come into fashion…and then go outJ

-Parents wear jeans

*This generation wears khakis, chinos, combat and carpenter pants