Was there a turning point when blue jeans moved from being warehouse apparel to a cultural, fashion statement?
One of the earliest examples of blue jeans shifting to fashion happened in the 1930s when we introduced the world’s first women’s blue jeans in 1934. A year later, in May 1935, Vogue magazine included a story about dude ranches — working horse and cattle ranches in the American West that became a popular vacation spot during the decade. The article recommended that women buy a pair of denim Lady Levi’s® worn cuffed, along with a Stetson cowboy hat and boots, along with carrying an “air of bravado.” The shift to fashion continued into the 1950s when Hollywood outfitted bad boys like Marlon Brando and James Dean in denim. They represented rebellion and created a look and style modelled by young people of the generation. By the 1960s, the rising youth generation adopted them as their uniform and blank canvas for personal expression.

1950s Levi’s advertisement
 
Did blue jeans take time to get accepted outside of the US? And how did it first cross the Atlantic and move to other parts of the world?
World War II was a defining moment for blue jeans. American GIs, when they weren’t in uniform, often wore blue jeans and introduced a whole new overseas audience to this American look. By the 1960s, blue jeans were almost as popular in places like Europe, as they were in the US.

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Tell us about the research behind every new definitive style that is. Do historians like you come into the mix in this R&D phase?
I interact with our design team weekly and designers are the biggest users of our Archives. The earliest Levi’s® garments, down to the pocket stitching and design details, provide inspiration for the latest looks today. design details, provide inspiration for the latest looks today.

Tracy Panek

Did you Know?
The rivet was the tiny but important innovation added to denim pants that created blue jeans.

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