My eye was caught by something shining in the bottom of the ditch…I reached my hand down and picked it up; it made my heart thump, for I was certain it was gold…Then I saw another. – James Marshall, California, January 24, 1848
Less than 30 years later the iconic symbol of ruggedness and individuality of blue jeans began in the American West, their timelessness has now endured over 140 years.
Within a year nearly 100,000 people from around the world arrived in California seeking their fortunes, 50,000 of whom descended on San Francisco.
There is a Pennsylvania mountain legend in my mother’s Pennsylvania family that my great-grandfather walked to California barefoot to claim $2500 which his father, a 49er, had left him. (He never came home with the money.)
On this coming anniversary of blue jeans, I embarked on my own journey of discovering the history of blue jeans and their iconic details.
But first, the intertesting story unfolds…
LEVI STRAUSS FROM BAVARIA
Levi Straus, who was a Jew born in Bavaria, grew up in a society that only had rights which made the Bavarian government and its majority Christian society comfortable. Jews had slowly made some civil gains during the Napoleonic era; the right to attend schools in 1804, and the right to bear arms in 1805…- Immigrant Entrepreneurship
Finding opportunity in San Francisco, Levi Straus, opened a wholesale dry goods store in 1853, which included tough and durable fabrics.
JACOB DAVIS FROM RUSSIA
Jacob Davis, who was a Jew born in Russia, trained as a tailor in his home country before immigrating to America.
Arriving in New York City in 1854, he tailored there before taking his trade to Maine.
In 1856, Davis journeyed to the land of gold, first in San Francisco, ultimately panning for gold in Canada.
Returning to San Francisco with a wife in 1867, he later moved to Nevada with various ventures such as helping open a brewery.
Fortuitously moving to Reno in 1868 where silver had been discovered nine years before, Davis opened his tailor shop.
For his customers, Davis mostly sewed tents and horse blankets reinforced with rivets for durability, made from cotton duck twill and denim, purchased from Levi Strauss in San Francisco.
BESPOKE WAIST OVERALLS
One day a woman walked into his store, requesting a durable pair of paints for her husband, who was a miner.
Knowing that the durable white cotton duck fabric alone wouldn’t be enough for the miners who heavily used their pockets to store rocks and tools, he added rivets to the pockets and bottom of the fly, for extra durability, as he did with his tents and horse blankets.
Since walking advertisements worked even in the 19th century, the happy customer inspired other miners to request the same durable pants.
Eighteen months later, Davis had sold 200 pairs.
Improving the durability of the pants, Davis ordered denim from the Levi Strauss and Company of San Francisco.
Numerous miners walking around with riveted denim pants caused other tailors to duplicate Davis’ work.
Meanwhile Davis sent Strauss two samples of riveted waisted overalls (as the pants were then called), one made of the white cotton duck and the other made of the blue denim.
With the samples, Davis enclosed a letter explaining the story behind them and the competition now ensuing in the tailoring trade in Reno.
Because Davis was short on money for a patent, he invited Strauss to provide financial backing and join him in a business.
PARTNERSHIP LEVI STRAUSS AND JACOB DAVIS
Agreeing to the partnership, Strauss invited Davis to join him in San Francisco to oversee production.
After Davis moved to San Francisco with his family in April of 1873, the patent was issued on May 20, 1873.
First the miners, then the cowboys fell in love with the riveted pants.
After Levi Strauss’ death in 1902, and his portion of the company went to his nephews.
Davis sold his part of the patent to the Strauss nephews around 1907, although he continued to oversee production until his death the next year.
Today the Davis descendants run Ben Davis, another rugged clothing line.
When an earthquake in 1908 destroyed most of San Francisco, including the Levi Strauss Company’s building, original source documents were forever destroyed.
During WWII, Americans packed a favorite pair or two to take with them over there, where the trend quickly caught on in Europe, and then Japan.
After the war, ruggedly durable Levi’s for the laborer became more of a fashion statement, moving east.
While Easterners preferred zippered flies, Westerners preferred button flies.
By the 1950’s teens enjoyed these unique pants, although parents met their desires with a bit of resistance.
Then by the 1980’s jeans became so popular, designer jeans became trendy.
DESIGN HISTORY UNDER LEVI AND DAVIS PARTNERSHIP
Although their first pants were the original 501® jean, it was labeled XX to represent highest quality.
- one back pocket with Arcuate stitching in orange thread as seen today
- one watch pocket
- a cinch
- suspender buttons
- rivets to reinforce each pocket as well as the base of the fly
- button fly
- exposed rivets on the back pocket
In 1886, Davis and Levi designed the Two Horse brand leather patch, which represented the durability of the pants and originator of riveted design.
About the year 1901 two back pockets are sewn into the durable pants.
DESIGN HISTORY UNDER LEVI STRAUSS PRODUCTION
After the deaths of Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, Strauss’ nephews carried on production which has passed on to their descendents to the present day.
Meanwhile, adaptations to the original design continued to change as overall fashions, tastes, and preferences from their customers changed.
Previously using a mock fell inseam, in 1910 a true felled inseam was used.
Belt loops were introduced in 1922.
Today’s iconic red tab identifying the pants as Levi’s are placed on the back pocket was introduced in 1936.
In 1937, suspender buttons were no longer sewn on, although snap on buttons were provided.
From 1941 to 1945, WWII rationing requirements discontinues the following elements:
- Cinch
- Rivets at the base of the fly and for the watch pocket
- Arcuate stitching replaced with painted version
In 1943, arcuate stitching is patented.
After WWII, the following elements returned:
- Rivets return to the watch pocket
- Arcuate stitched with double needle which creates the present-day diamond shape.
Zippers were first used in 1954.
In the 1960’s teenagers dubbed these riveted pants blue jeans.
In 1966, rivets on the back pockets were no longer used.
The Big E versus little e designation begins in 1971, differentiating vintage jeans from modern.
SEWING MY OWN VINTAGE FLAIR BLUE JEANS
Meanwhile the header photo is the oldest and most western of any that focuses on blue jeans and the West…from my 2007 horseback ride in Colorado.
Meanwhile my own vintage flair blue jeans will soon debut as my sewing nears the finish line.
Stay tuned for more of that story…
For more photos, check my Flickr set.
