The Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1966 all-Japanese 501 jeans celebrate Levi’s new-found source of selvedge denim in spectacular style.
Last July we brought you the rumour that Levi’s would be sourcing their selvedge, Shrink-to-Fit fabrics from Japan. Now it’s confirmed. Levi’s will be getting their denim for the Levi’s Vintage Clothing line from Japanese mills.
For over 100 years, Levi’s sourced its premium denim from the Cone Milles White Oak plant in Greensborough Carolina. This denim was the best of Levi’s line up and went into their Levi’s Vintage Clothing collection. It was a constant thread (pun totally intended) in Levi’s history. Levi’s is as American as apple pie… or as blue jeans, hell they invented the things! So surely they should make at least a few in the US, from US denim.
An end of an era for blue jeans
Up until 2017, there were a few Levi’s still made in USA, from American milled denim. But then came the news that Cone Mills was closing the book on their White Oak plant. It was simply no longer financially viable. Hard economic realities once again winning over quality and nostalgia. When White Oak closed, it marked the end of selvedge denim production in the USA. An end to an era indeed.
From American to Japan – things have gone full circle
But then, where would Levi’s get their good, Selvedge denim? Well, in quite the ironic twist of fate, Levi’s have turned to Japan. Yip, that’s right… things have gone full circle. 70 odd years ago the Americana obsessed Japanese would dream of owning a pair of Levi’s blue jeans. Now they make the denim to make them. It makes sense. Japan does make some of the best denim in the world.
Levi’s rushing headlong
Levi’s are fully embracing their newfound denim with the release of the all-Japanese 501 jean. It is a homage to the 1966 501® that was released exclusively to Japan in the 1990s. This Levi’s classic is brought to life entirely from Japanese selvedge denim and each and every detail has been translated into Japanese. That’s right the back patch, red tab, fabric tags, pocket flasher, packaging, even the stamping on the buttons all in Japanese.
Have we not see these jeans before?
If this seems familiar to some of you die-hard denim heads out there, you would be correct. Levi’s Vintage Clothing originally released this jean in July 2019 as a limited edition 100-pair release at the opening of the new Levi’s store in Tokyo’s famed Harajuku district. As of April 30th, this Japanese jean will drop worldwide but still in limited quantities.
Levi’s pass the baton from the US to Japan
It’s a celebration of the baton being passed from the US to Japan. After all, things move on, things move forward and there is no progress without change. Who knows, in 100 years we might be talking about the Golden Bow and not the Golden Handshake.
The Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1966 all Japanese 501 jeans will be available through levi.com and a selected few stores. Shop brick and mortar where you can of course, but bring a mask, folks.
