Blue jeans icon Levi Strauss’ life, legacy to be explored in new fashion show

By: AFP Relaxnews - 5 years ago

United States denim legend Levi Strauss is set to be the subject of a major exhibition in San Francisco next year.

The city’s Contemporary Jewish Museum has announced the launch of “Levi Strauss: A History of American Style,” on Feb. 13, 2020.

The exhibition, which will run through Aug. 9 next year, will explore the birth of the blue jean and its subsequent importance in the fashion industry.

A postcard from the California Rodeo in Salinas from July 1939 will appear in the upcoming Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibition “Levi Strauss: A History of American Style”. Image: Levi Strauss & Co. Archives, courtesy of the Contemporary Jewish Museum via AFP Relaxnews

levi's unnamed.fa6b6051951.w768 — A postcard from the California Rodeo in Salinas from July 1939 will appear in the upcoming Contemporary Jewish Museum exhibition “Levi Strauss: A History of American Style”. Image: Levi Strauss & Co. Archives, courtesy of the Contemporary Jewish Museum via AFP Relaxnews

It will examine the life of the Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss and the trajectory of his iconic denim brand, Levi Strauss & Co., by delving into the brand’s archives and showcasing fashion pieces and advertising material from the label’s past.

More than 150 items from the brand’s archives will go on show, in addition to pieces from additional lenders.

The story of the Levi’s brand began in 1873, when Strauss teamed up with the tailor Jacob Davis to get a U.S. patent for putting metal rivets in men’s denim work trousers.

The exhibition will follow the company’s story through to the second half of the 20th century, when the blue jean made its mark as a cultural statement and timeless fashion staple. For more information, see www.thecjm.org. JB

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