Levi's Vintage Clothing

[Paul T]

Official launch of LVC was indeed 1996. Tho' thanks, LFC, for reminding me about the 551ZXX, they seem to come up very rarely. I do have a friend who worked on the launch and has NTW examples of all three pairs, I will have to find an excuse to see them.

I have, at one point, had a big stash of 555 or later 55 501 all together and compared the denim. It's impossible to generalise; I've seen pairs of 555 '55 that looked green and grainy, more like the 47, my 98 pair are very black. The later ones aren't singed, either, it's just variations in the cotton. I think many of the differences we see are random effects.

[Dr_Heech]

BNWT 555's that I have -

37 201xx - 06/96, 10/97.

55 501 - 02/98, 7/98 x2.

63 551z - 09/96, 10/97

+ a '64 557 - 09/97 and a 44 S506 - 08/99

- bought my first pair in Classics in Aug '99, before I discovered Cinch.

[blm14]

ARGH! Do want!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190350292559&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Dr_Heech]

ARGH! Do want!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190350292559&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Nice ! Wish they were a size 34.

[dr.house]

Hey Guyz,

what do you think about this buckle:

It's an original from the sixties, made of brass.

[lukec]

Yup, they're 55. Pomata on this board found a stash and sold them to various posters, including me - look around and you'll see Leonard Leroy modelling a pair, looking very fetching. Once soaked, they're worth less. obviously. Good luck, and post pix when you get them/find them.

Thanks for all the comments & advice - unfortunately before I could get my bid in on the Bay, the seller changed from auction to buy-it-now without letting me know (despite my obvious interest!) and someone else got a bit of a bargain at £40! They were exactly my size too, grrr.

[Paul T]

Link?

10char

[LFC4ever]

1997??

I have a least two models from 1996, the earliest one I have is 06/96.

Will try and dig 'em out.

Yes, absolutely right to correct me - I too have pairs made in 1996. The bit that's confusing me is when they were first available in the UK at the Regent Street store, and I THINK that was at the tail end of 1996. I've sold quite a few in my too big collection but I do have NWT raw models of all 3, more than one of each so will see if I can spot any difference between them. At the time of launch they sold for £200 a pair in London, so I guess they're much better value now!

[lukec]

Link?

10char

Me?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/repro-501xx-levi-jeans_W0QQitemZ190349936363QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMen_s_Clothes?hash=item2c51bd86eb#ht_500wt_1182

Actual measurements were w34xl35

[Paul T]

Washed, as well as soaked I think. You're better off with a new pair. OK, worse off, considering new ones are three times as expensive.

LFC, I remember moaning how ridiculously overpriced those LVC were... I couldn't afford the £200, hence the dozens of Lee selvage jeans I used to have, a bargain at £60. Lucky you... anyway, you should wear them!

[lukec]

Washed, as well as soaked I think. You're better off with a new pair.

Thanks, I've managed to convince myself of that now! Too many disappointments with the Bay, probably just avoided another.

[LFC4ever]

Washed, as well as soaked I think. You're better off with a new pair. OK, worse off, considering new ones are three times as expensive.

LFC, I remember moaning how ridiculously overpriced those LVC were... I couldn't afford the £200, hence the dozens of Lee selvage jeans I used to have, a bargain at £60. Lucky you... anyway, you should wear them!

Actually although I bought some from the Regents St store the reason I ended up with so many was because I discovered in Sept 1997 I think, just before I went on holiday to the US that you could actually get them for about $120 from Levis mail order. It only lasted about a week that you could do this but I grabbed quite a few pairs that way! Also, even from Levis stores in the US at the time they were approx $165 - half the price they were here!

And yes, I should wear them. Too many Japanese repros to get thru, I'd be better off wearing the real thing!

[Dr_Heech]

Yes, absolutely right to correct me - I too have pairs made in 1996. The bit that's confusing me is when they were first available in the UK at the Regent Street store, and I THINK that was at the tail end of 1996. I've sold quite a few in my too big collection but I do have NWT raw models of all 3, more than one of each so will see if I can spot any difference between them. At the time of launch they sold for £200 a pair in London, so I guess they're much better value now!

Sorry LFC - jumped in feet first!

I was abroad from aug 96- early '98, so didnt know about the Vintage range.

I remember umming and arrring over a pair of the capital E's which came out in '94, up in Camden, but I wasnt entirely happy with some of the details (what's new). The only alternative was the 702xx, which some dealers were importing from Japan in very small amounts - It was like a near-copy of the 37, but again details were amiss.

In '99 I saw the 37 201xx and the 1890 Ist model and decided on the 37's, which I paid £200 for, and although expensive, were still much cheaper than the £400+ minimum for a worn-out pair of original 60's big E's.

In Feb 2000 I went back to buy a 506 Jacket, and discovered they were now only £100 - so I bought a pair of 47's as well.

All the pairs that I originally bought at Classics, Reg. st. and Cinch are now long gone. My little stash of 555's came from ebay, and were all bought at premium prices. I dont think I'd part with any of them now as they are all between 34-36 waist, which is my ideal size.

If you do any comparisons of your 555 collection, would you please post pics?

[blm14]

hey heech - I got your nattie indigo 1873s today, SO CRISPY!

Randomly I also happened to get a pair of the synthetic indigo 555 1873s on ebay for about $100 two weeks ago, so maybe tonight I will take some photos of the newly reunited brothers.

[Dr_Heech]

hey heech - I got your nattie indigo 1873s today, SO CRISPY!

Randomly I also happened to get a pair of the synthetic indigo 555 1873s on ebay for about $100 two weeks ago, so maybe tonight I will take some photos of the newly reunited brothers.

Cool ! i always wanted to do some 1873 natural/synthetic comparisons.

(I thought all synthetic 1873's were 822 stamped?) Will be interesting to see your pics.

Glad you like them by the way

[dr.house]

Sry guys, I'll try it again. What do you think about this buckle? Supposedly an original from the sixties:

[Dr_Heech]

And again .....

They seem ok althogh I personally wouldnt wear it. They come up on ebay fairly often, some brass, some enamelled,some not.

I've often thought I would like one, only if they did an earlier ' Every garment Guaranteed ' version.

Which they dont.

[Happy Hooligan]

I wouldn't wear it... it's too much advertising for me.

plus having worn those belt buckles in the 70's they always tend to dig into my gut every time I sat down.

But, that's just my 2 cents

[dr.house]

sry, I mixed your post up dr.heech. Thx anyway!

[Dr_Heech]

My current wearers now on rotation -

1915 201, 1937 201xx, 1927 501,

1963 551z, 1955 (554) and 1955 (555)

Although I mostly favour the 551z and '27's (and my 1930 Lee 101's)

[blm14]

wow it's really cool to see the variations in the color and texture of the denims... Those 1927s look really nice and deep blue. More photos of that one?

[Dr_Heech]

Tried to get some comparisons of my 555's -

1937 201xx: sz36/38 from 10/97 and sz36/40 from 06/96

The ones from 1996 are more hairy, whereas the 97's are more bluer.

Hard to show in pix

I remember the guy at Classics calling this hairiness - 'Paste' (?)

[Dr_Heech]

My 1955's - sz 34/40 and 36/40, both made in 1998 and are identical, although the 551z's were manufactured 10/97 (same as the 201xx's)

Comparing the 55's, 10/97 37's and 551z's colour-wise. There is not much difference, although the 551's are slightly darker, but that could be the cone 686 sanforized denim.

[Mr Black]

Sexy stuff.

I had quite a few pairs of raw valencia st models at one point that i'd picked up either in Camden market, classics. that outlet place in ashford, and strangely in a levis outlet place in Majorca that i made my wife drop in to on the way to the airport(€40 a pair) The collection included 44's, 27 201's, 37 201's which I sold to raise some cash a short while back. I'd have loved to have kept them. The denim felt so much heavier than more recent and current ranges. used to bring them out every now and then just to give them a sniff (i'm presuming other people do that too, or am I just a freak?).

Have just 2 raw pairs of 37's left- but one are in theory my wifes, not that she'll ever wear them (they're a 40 leg and she's only 5ft).

Still have a healthy amount of LVC stuff but mostly just wear the 47's now.

[Dr_Heech]

Sexy stuff.

used to bring them out every now and then just to give them a sniff (i'm presuming other people do that too, or am I just a freak?).

Have just 2 raw pairs of 37's left- but one are in theory my wifes, not that she'll ever wear them (they're a 40 leg and she's only 5ft).

Still have a healthy amount of LVC stuff but mostly just wear the 47's now.

No your not a freak. You are not alone.

Fit pics please complete with bucket turn-ups!

[Mr Black]

Ha ha. she's never actually worn them. They've been in herwardrobe untouched for years.

She may think something unusual is going on if I start suggesting to take pics of her.

While she accepts my fixation on denim, she doesn't join in.

[blm14]

Soaked the natural indigo 1873s and they barely shrank at all. The color of the denim is MUCH streakier and interesting than I thought it would be... Closer to hawaiis actually.

[Happy Hooligan]

The Dr. inspired me to show my current rotation...

1933, 1937, 1947, 1947, 1955, 1955

[Shorty Long]

Any word on the upcoming Spring collection? I mean, anything new from what we heard this past summer?

[Dr_Heech]

Soaked the natural indigo 1873s and they barely shrank at all. The color of the denim is MUCH streakier and interesting than I thought it would be... Closer to hawaiis actually.

Knew they were special - Pix when get the chance.

('scuse the idiot - what are Hawaii's?)