Levi's Vintage Clothing

[SLAB]

thanks for the pictures Mike!

I don't understand why its so difficult for Levis to keep a strict distinction between the two XX labels. Keep LVC 'hardcore' by trying to reproduce as best as possible the original vintage clothing while made & crafted can be their line where they design original clothing based on or inspired by vintage pieces.

[entertainment!]

I have a pair of the MIJ '53s. They are similar to a '55 cut but the denim is more like the '47s. The denim seems to be much quicker to fade than the Cone '47 fabric.

[colgems1966]

Yup perhaps.

But here is a guess about the origin of the cut and the date. Here is Marlon Brando walking on the set of The Wild One, a photo taken by the photographer Phil Stern. The date says 1954 but that might be out by a year.

Now don't those look like the 501Z cut? Very skinny leg and largish upper block.

good theory except i'm pretty sure Brando wore 101's in the wild one.

[setterman]

thanks for the pictures Mike!

I don't understand why its so difficult for Levis to keep a strict distinction between the two XX labels. Keep LVC 'hardcore' by trying to reproduce as best as possible the original vintage clothing while made & crafted can be their line where they design original clothing based on or inspired by vintage pieces.

I'm sure money is the driving factor, and if they feel an inspired piece will sell better labeled as LVC than Made and Crafted, then LVC is the tag it gets.

[setterman]

Thanks a LOT for the link! Can't rep must spread.

Glad you like it! They're just lovely, aren't they? The inky blue of the first pair is stunning.

[Shorty Long]

I completely agree. I was thinking about this recently.

I don't understand why its so difficult for Levis to keep a strict distinction between the two XX labels. Keep LVC 'hardcore' by trying to reproduce as best as possible the original vintage clothing while made & crafted can be their line where they design original clothing based on or inspired by vintage pieces.

[erk]

In the movie you can clearly see the levis arcs on brando's pair

[Stratos]

Some quick googeling suggests they were Levi's indeed

[setterman]

Don't have time to dig it up, but I've seen a photo Brando on the Wild One set, and there was a close up of one of his cuffs. There was a LOT of blue showing at the selvedge, leading me to believe that they might have been tailored down below the knee.

[Paul T]

It's possible they trimmed them; in any case, they're a pretty similar fit to most of the bikers you'd see around Holister in 1947 - for instance Lowell Dicey, from my book, or loads of the photos Fardin has posted. Most of the effect is downsizing.

Whatever way, they don't resemble the 54Z at all.

[rnrswitch]

You would think there would be some employee from LVC or Levis that is in the "know" that could hopefully shed some light on this stuff. I assume they patrol these boards sometimes. Unless of course they are bound and gagged by Levis...

[rnrswitch]

Oh and if the Levis/LVC gods are out there, listening to our humble requests. Please, please, a 1953 version with the 55 cut and a leather tag. Please.

[setterman]

Oh and if the Levis/LVC gods are out there, listening to our humble requests. Please, please, a 1953 version with the 55 cut and a leather tag. Please.

While we're putting in requests.... I'll second that '53, and add a proper 1954 501Z and a 551ZXX.

[Paul T]

You would think there would be some employee from LVC or Levis that is in the "know" that could hopefully shed some light on this stuff. I assume they patrol these boards sometimes. Unless of course they are bound and gagged by Levis...

What is it you want to know? About the 54 Z? It is a modernized cut, and that is official.

[rnrswitch]

What is it you want to know? About the 54 Z? It is a modernized cut, and that is official.

Maybe more of a justification as to why they would choose to mix in stylized repros with regular repros that are intended to be exact replicas.

edit: now that you are answering for LVC employees, does that mean you are now on the take too?

[LFC4ever]

While we're putting in requests.... I'll second that '53, and add a proper 1954 501Z and a 551ZXX.

Didn't Japan LVC do a 1953 model quite recently?

Also in the 1990s there was the 703 out of Japan LVC?

LVC did the 551ZXX as part of the first Valencia street release in 1996 - I have about 3 pairs of them, nice jeans. How accurate they are though I've no idea. I always assumed the 1937 201XX was accurate till I read this forum!

[Paul T]

Maybe more of a justification as to why they would choose to mix in stylized repros with regular repros that are intended to be exact replicas.

edit: now that you are answering for LVC employees, does that mean you are now on the take too?

A: they did it because, shock horror, they wanted to have a contemporary cut with vintage detailing.

B: not officially on the take, but I did get a free pair of 1878 replicas recently, only minor repairs needed, .

[fardin]

we have posted so many orinals 1950s pics in the distressed thread. so it seema there is not doubt that the 54Z is not accurate. brandos jeans in streetcar were tailored and customized to fit him, even back in 1947 for the stage production. the 1952 movie is using a very odd model. it had the war time buttons but also a cinch !! at the back. i also think that the 1953 movie the wild one has a customized levis for brando. by this time he already had a huge ass, and his pants look different from his coactors. same thing with the two diffent lee models dean wears in his last two movies wich were made in the same year. again both models look different then the lees he wore in his private life. still i dont think looking at movie starshelps too much to verify the historical accuracy of some models. imho its better to check out pics like mikes family pics or life mags pics.

[Sansome1877]

A: they did it because, shock horror, they wanted to have a contemporary cut with vintage detailing.

B: not officially on the take, but I did get a free pair of 1878 replicas recently, only minor repairs needed, .

Would that replica be a blouse?

[Sansome1877]

Probably a stupid question, should I post some 1940's Levi pictures. I have a few pictures of my father in law in 1965

[Paul T]

Not, that replica is not a blouse. Click on the link!

And of course you should post more photos, we love em!

[fardin]

yes pics please

[cash]

Where does one go for the modern-cut, selvedge-jean from the Levis family? Levis Premium doesn't exactly set the Internet forumz on fire.

LVC is Levis premium selvedge line. It is where one goes to find that stuff. The 501 was never a "skinny jean." So, if Levis wants a skinny jean in the selvedge range, they need to invent it. For better or worse, they call it the '67 505 or the '47 501 etc, etc.

Stop going all Electrum 'cuz the '54 and the '47 are stylized while the '55, '66, '37 etc. etc. are not so much. It is what it is. And, what it is, is pretty fucking nice denim pants at some nice prices.

(To continue my tangent, I wish some of the beloved Japanese brands cared for the early incarnation of the 501 as much as LVC does.)

[rnrswitch]

So should I look to LVC for an acid washed selvedge jean?

Please, please, pretty please.

[cash]

So should I look to LVC for an acid washed selvedge jean?

They did the '83, so, you know, I wouldn't put it past them.

[LFC4ever]

Where does one go for the modern-cut, selvedge-jean from the Levis family? Levis Premium doesn't exactly set the Internet forumz on fire.

LVC is Levis premium selvedge line. It is where one goes to find that stuff. The 501 was never a "skinny jean." So, if Levis wants a skinny jean in the selvedge range, they need to invent it. For better or worse, they call it the '67 505 or the '47 501 etc, etc.

Stop going all Electrum 'cuz the '54 and the '47 are stylized while the '55, '66, '37 etc. etc. are not so much. It is what it is. And, what it is, is pretty fucking nice denim pants at some nice prices.

(To continue my tangent, I wish some of the beloved Japanese brands cared for the early incarnation of the 501 as much as LVC does.)

I have to argue with the nice prices comment unless you're selling them........

[Dr_Heech]

I have to argue with the nice prices comment unless you're selling them........

Talking of nice prices, you having a clearout peter?

(..still cheaper than Cinch!)

[Sansome1877]

[Paul T]

Lovely pic... not Levi's - Fardin?

[rnrswitch]

Looks like a patch on the back pocket. Possibly wranglers. When did wranglers start making jeans?

edit: looks like wrangler started in '43. I should probably know that.