Levi's Vintage Clothing

[Busted Seam]

...they seemed destined to produce a 1937-41 lady levis, yet it never happened. I suppose there are arent enough babes out there willing to wear a really high waist jean.

You're right. You'd have thought Mad Men would have made that look more fashionable.

(They did so a wartime 701 in Europe 2006, I think there was at least one version before that. )

[airfrogusmc]

Newb question again.

The normal way to produce a pair of jeans is up today:

Levis develops a new jeans and a design and then they submit that new product to manufacturers like Cone, Taylor togs aso. And therefore there are differences between countries (fabrics in those)?

Is that correct?

Thanks

Cone makes the denim and has since 1915. LVC used to have a factory at Valencia Street and some others across the country that closed a few years back and they then sourced it out to Taylor now its in some factory in Calif I think. So all the USA made LVCs are made there with cone or Kurabo denim. Some of the pre aged stuff is made in turkey.

According to an e-mail I received from Paul a few days ago LVC Europe is taking over the entire LVC line and will be centralizing production in the US (don't know if that applies to Japan).

[Medine]

Does anyone know if there's some place in chicago that carries LVC?

[airfrogusmc]

The Mich Ave Levis store has had them at times in the past but the best place to get them and where I always buy mine from is Dejan

http://www.cultizm.com/index.php?cat=c14_LEVI-S--VINTAGE-CLOTHING--8482-.html

Last pair I ordered form him I ordered on Monday and they were here on Wednesday...

[Medine]

I know all about dejan, but i just want to try them on someplace...

I don't know why LVC isn't sold at botiques that much??

I think if LVC was branded more like woolrich woolen mills or something along those lines, it would do alot better.

[Dr_Heech]

You're right. You'd have thought Mad Men would have made that look more fashionable.

(They did so a wartime 701 in Europe 2006, I think there was at least one version before that. )

There was definately a raw 1943 701 which came out of the Valencia street factory between '96-2001. I bought a pair for my wife from TKMaxx (twenty quid at the time!), thinking they'd shrink the usual two inches, but they're sanforized, so she never wore them. This was probably around 2002.

[ThomasK]

As the europe online store has left just a few sizes of the 501 1947, will there be a new one of those jeans in spring/summer 2010?

Thanks

[Guest Selvage Seb.]

AF, I think the chainstitching on the hem was introduced around 1927, the same time as the redline fabric.

I don't want to sound like a smartass but according to the book of Lynn Downey, red line fabric was introduced by 1922 (specifically for the 501 jeans) Or it just could me mistreading..

don't know about the chainstich though

[Busted Seam]

I don't want to sound like a smartass but according to the book of Lynn Downey, red line fabric was introduced by 1922 (specifically for the 501 jeans) Or it just could me mistreading..

don't know about the chainstich though

Yes. But I think Dr Heech is talking about the LVC model; the first 'official' Cone jeans, which is dated as 1927.

Presumably, when Cone supplied denim alongside Amoskeag, between approx 1915 and 1922, they didn't add the red line to the fabric.

Cone should know this - from what I can see on paul t's blog, they have kept pretty accurate records.

As the europe online store has left just a few sizes of the 501 1947, will there be a new one of those jeans in spring/summer 2010?

Thanks

The 1947 has always been a staple of the LVC range, I'd be pretty certain that model will make it to fall 2009.

[airfrogusmc]

I know all about dejan, but i just want to try them on someplace...

I don't know why LVC isn't sold at botiques that much??

I think if LVC was branded more like woolrich woolen mills or something along those lines, it would do alot better.

Try'n on raw is not much help really.

[Guest Selvage Seb.]

Yes. But I think Dr Heech is talking about the LVC model; the first 'official' Cone jeans, which is dated as 1927.

Presumably, when Cone supplied denim alongside Amoskeag, between approx 1915 and 1922, they didn't add the red line to the fabric.

Cone should know this - from what I can see on paul t's blog, they have kept pretty accurate records.

I see, thanks for clearing that up Busted Seam

Your answer makes me wonder why Cone didn´t add the red line between 1915 and 1922?

Got it something to do with their marketing and trademark switch from Levi Strauss to LEVIS in the begin 20's?

Or was it more of a gesture of appreciation from Cone towards Levi's being so loyal for sourcing all of their denim?

thanks in advance

[Shorty Long]

They used to be...in the past, you could find LVC in the US in various boutiques and stores such as Barney's...When the line first took off, it was a lot like WWM, very few pieces for each collection with most of them being manufactured here in the US at the Valencia St. factory...over the years, the Valencia St. factory closed, the collection has expanded to include more "finished" items and non-denim pieces, with everything but the raw jeans produced overseas. I think there was a 3-year-period there starting around '03 or so that quality really took a nose dive, but they seem to be turning things around.

As far as LVC in the US is concerned, in the past, the LVC collection was the same for Europe and the States, but for some reason particular pieces were not available in the US...However, starting about 5 years ago or so, the US began to have its own collection...they were typically very small (especially compared to the number of items for the EU collection), and they normally failed to produce all of the items that they had placed in their lookbooks or product catalogs...availability began to shrink, to the point we're at now...which is that LVC is no longer available here in the US.

My timeline might not be exact, but you should get the general picture of the story...I think as far as LVC is concerned, Levi really screwed up when they shut down the Valencia St. factory...I wonder if they ever considered turning that building into a museum of some sort which could also serve as an educational facility and HQ for their archives. At the same time they could have kept part of it as a working factory to produce all of the denim items for LVC worldwide. It seems like an opportunity missed and a great piece of this country's "clothing" history was needlessly lost forever. I just hope they considered something like this. Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk.

I know all about dejan, but i just want to try them on someplace...

I don't know why LVC isn't sold at botiques that much??

I think if LVC was branded more like woolrich woolen mills or something along those lines, it would do alot better.

[ThomasK]

Where are most of the products from the fall/ winter collection made?

As you said, we get a picture of the story... Do YOU think , that lvc will be continued? S.o. quoted paulT saying the collection will stay.

[airfrogusmc]

Most RAW LVCs (not LVC japan) are US made.

Looks like production is staying in the US.

[Shorty Long]

Seems like LVC in EU and Japan is strong...no reason to believe it will stop. Even though production for some items will remain in the US I'm not sure if it will ever be available for purchase in the US again.

[silencejoe]

Just got my LVC Knappave 1880'S Celebration Pack

These Nevada Jean style work pants hve been cropped - almost shredded - below the knee.

This pair was purchased from a vintage dealer in summer of 2001, soon after LS&CO. acquired

the famous Nevada Jean for $46.532. Interestingly, this cut off pair was also found in Nevada-

in a silver mine near the town of Tonopah, located about 200 miles from present Las Vegas.

These waist overalls were made in LS&CO,'s San Francisco factorey in the 1880s, with denim

purchased from Amoskeag Mill in Mancester, NH.

And why were the legs cut off?

Well, there are a few possible reasons. Sometimes when men's work pants got torn, the weares would

just cut off the ripped portion and use the denim piece to patch another pair of pants. Often the

denim would be used as a sweat rag, or - if the owner was a miner - it would be wrapped around the

hands before using a pick or shovel, in order to protect the hands from blistering. It's possible

this pair was worn even after being cut off, but it's more likely that the pants wer left behind

to be "recycled". The original pair levs in a fireproof safe in the Levi Strauss & Co. Archives in SF, CA.

LVC Knappave 1880'S Celebration Pack

[Guest Selvage Seb.]

Most RAW LVCs (not LVC japan) are US made.

Looks like production is staying in the US.

Isn't is true that the European LVC collection(jeans), the line wich ea. Cultizm offers is made in Poland nowadays?

Or am I totally wrong?

I've bought a LVC shirt last year and the tag reads 'Made in Tunesia'

very nice nevertheless

Edit: If someone is interested in the jeans Silencejoe posted above, I've got them up for trade in dry version( see my sig)

[Busted Seam]

Most of the jeans are made in the US - altho some of the distressed jeans have been made in Turkey and other places, at one time with Italian denim, more recently with Cone.

AS far as Polish jeans - I think that's just Lee!

But the other items can be sourced from anywhere, and always have been, usually in Europe. For instance, some of the leather jackets were reputedly made by Lewis leathers.

[Guest Selvage Seb.]

I must have misread that part I quess, or maybe it was that little voice inside my head again..

Got confused by Wrangler when it comes to Polish jeans I think

thank you

[mikedbt5]

Isn't is true that the European LVC collection(jeans), the line wich ea. Cultizm offers is made in Poland nowadays?

Or am I totally wrong?

I've bought a LVC shirt last year and the tag reads 'Made in Tunesia'

very nice nevertheless

"Raw" jeans are assembled in the USA . Prediistressed jeans have been treated and assembled in Europe for te last few years . Paul T , I believe , highlighted this arlier in the thread . As for shirts etc... havent a clue as to why but they appear to be of European manufacture .

[Dr_Heech]

Most of the jeans are made in the US - altho some of the distressed jeans have been made in Turkey and other places, at one time with Italian denim, more recently with Cone.

AS far as Polish jeans - I think that's just Lee!

But the other items can be sourced from anywhere, and always have been, usually in Europe. For instance, some of the leather jackets were reputedly made by Lewis leathers.

I have a few non-denim garments made between 2003-5, and they are made in portugal and turkey.

From 1999-2001, alot of pre-distressed stuff was "finished" in Italy.

[D2K]

what are your guy's opinion on LVC jackets? are they much better than regular raw levis jackets?

[Medine]

Anyone know how much the 37' 501 shrinks?

thanks in advance

[airfrogusmc]

Isn't is true that the European LVC collection(jeans), the line wich ea. Cultizm offers is made in Poland nowadays?

Or am I totally wrong?

I've bought a LVC shirt last year and the tag reads 'Made in Tunesia'

very nice nevertheless

Edit: If someone is interested in the jeans Silencejoe posted above, I've got them up for trade in dry version( see my sig)

Most if not all of the raw LVCs are us made. It says on his site what is made in USA. I think the a lot of the shirts and jackets are made in Turkey and elsewhere.

Looks like all the production in the future will be moving to the US. The last several pair I got from Dejan were all US made. The 1927 and the 1917 were both made in USA.

[airfrogusmc]

Anyone know how much the 37' 501 shrinks?

thanks in advance

I think 10% total would be a good guess.

[wonderwall]

does anyone know how to decipher the following? it's doesn't have the same information as the post mentioned before.

the only part i can decipher is "47501", which obviously means the 1947 501.

thanks!

[civicex]

I have a pair of LVC 1947's from the 2007 season, and mine are pretty similar. Here's what I found

WPL-423: Every textile manufacturer is issued a WPL (Wool Products Labeling) number, which began some time in the 1930's. Newer companies are issued an "RN" number instead.

703S - Shows the month/date of production: March 2007, Spring line.

475019124: The specific cut; 1947 501's, 9124 (which is the 1-inch undersized waist cut)

My model also says FFC#9124 under this large number

623: Indicates the factory in which it was made; it should correlate with the stamped top fly button. For reference, my 47's came from the "4170" factory, and, contrary to Paul T's blog, not all 4170 jeans are the oversized LVC 1947's from the 2009 collection.

The two other large numbers are different on mine. No idea on those

does anyone know how to decipher the following? it's doesn't have the same information as the post mentioned before.

the only part i can decipher is "47501", which obviously means the 1947 501.

thanks!

[fallen angels]

I have a pair of LVC 1947's from the 2007 season, and mine are pretty similar. Here's what I found

703S - Shows the month/date of production: March 2007, Spring line.

Are you sure about this? I ask because I bought a pair of 1947 501's back in November of 2006 and the booklet that came with it says Fall 2006, but the leg tag on mine says 701S...

[wonderwall]

623: Indicates the factory in which it was made; it should correlate with the stamped top fly button. For reference, my 47's came from the "4170" factory, and, contrary to Paul T's blog, not all 4170 jeans are the oversized LVC 1947's from the 2009 collection.

i think my button is stamped "R", not "623". I wonder where "623" is located.

[civicex]

Are you sure about this? I ask because I bought a pair of 1947 501's back in November of 2006 and the booklet that came with it says Fall 2006, but the leg tag on mine says 701S...

I'm pretty sure; my "ticket" tag that says "This is a pair of Levi's" e a 2007 trademark on it

i think my button is stamped "R", not "623". I wonder where "623" is located.

That's interesting, the 623M also have 623 (or 623M) on the inside tag.