Levi's Vintage Clothing

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 10, 2015 by hoggreaser

[Double 0 Soul]

I would do it for you but im too much of a gentlemen.

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 10, 2015 by hoggreaser

[501XX4EVER]

They are still an amazing pair of Jeans. I have a pair of 34x36 from the same era and they're also "555". They fit so perfectly it's like they were made for me.

 

What's the story with that Site?

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 10, 2015 by hoggreaser

[501XX4EVER]

OK, thanks, no problem, those types of NOS 501's appear on ebay quite often, but "555" is quite rare.

[exaptavist]

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Edited October 10, 2015 by hoggreaser

[501XX4EVER]

My undesrstanding is that the number on the back of the top button and the corresponding number on the care tag relates to the location of the factory where they were produced, "555" being Valencia St., the most famous. The original run/issue of the the LVC range came out in 1996, I think, and they were all made in Valencia St. and stamped "555". The jeans I have and the one you linked above date from around 1993. I didn't know they made standard 501's at Valencia St. until I found the pair of 34x36 on ebay. I'm tempted to go for those ones you've linked just because the other pair are so good.

[Maynard Friedman]

I understand that Valencia Street was one of Levi's old-established factories that had been churning out pre-LVC 501s for decades. This historical significance was a key reason that LVC produced its own jeans there too, following the almost complete shift to overseas manufacturing of the standard ranges.

[501XX4EVER]

Yep, you're probably right. I just thought that because the first mid 90's run of LVC stuff was done there using, supposedly, the old looms, that it wasn't quite a "working" factory, just a kind of elaborate museum full of their old equipment that they dusted off for their new Vintage line.

[satchelbmoore]

the "old looms" were at cone mills in NC.

[Charlie Delta]

One easy thing to remember when talking about these kind of things is that looms are used to produce fabric and fabric only.

Clothing is assembled in a factory (call it a workshop if you will, in a case like Roy for example, but really it's a thing of how many people are on the production line).

Generally you can say that fabric mills don't assemble clothing and clothing factories don't make fabric. I also can't think of any examples where fabric and garment production happens in the same facility.

Brands generally don't have their own looms, nor do a lot of brands have their own owned and operated factories these days.

 

Valencia street was an old clothing production facility (Levi's owned), they made garments there, not fabric. Like Satchel said, the fabric came from Cone Mills.

 

Oh hi old friends!

[lance]

Good to hear from you Duck, been a while!

[dr.house]

Thanks cotton duck. The first workpants from Levis, pre-Jacob Davis' era, were made at the east coast of the USA. Since 1873 Levis produced their riveted overalls for the first time in their own factory in San Francisco, using natural dyed denim from the Amoskeag Mills, New Hampshire. Jacob Davis supervised the production as a foreman, cuz' Levi Strauss & Co. had no experience in the production of garments so far. The 501 was born 1890. After the San Francisco earthquake in 1906 the production restarts at Valencia Street, San Francisco. The cooperation with Amoskeag ends in 1927, from now on the (synthetic dyed) Denim was made by Cone Mills, North Carolina. The last vintage 501, made of selvage cone denim, was made in 1983.

LVC was found in 1996. The garments were produced at Valencia Street for the first years, still using Cone Denim.

Yeah, there was no 'Levis Denim' and no 'Levis shuttle loom' was sold to japanese producers.

Edited May 10, 2013 by dr.house

[501XX4EVER]

My use of the word "looms" when I meant/should have said "equipment", seems to have perturbed some, sorry, my bad.

[thedoad]

My use of the word "looms" when I meant/should have said "equipment", seems to have perturbed some, sorry, my bad.

clearly you still don't get it.

[501XX4EVER]

clearly you still don't get it.

 

Nice, just over 10 posts on this Board and already a bitchy comment, thanks man.

[Denim-Garage]

My Levis original (old) Typ 3 Jackets 557 XX, 70505-217, 559 blanket lined, with Contest Jeans HC-IH-83, orange Tab

 

[Maynard Friedman]

My 1915s with about 8-9 months wear on them. Another pair for the summer rotation.

 

These are lighter in real life, I think they've faded quickly.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2013 by Maynard Friedman

[weiness]

http://www.yoox.com/us/42293720EU/item?dept=men#sts=sr_men80&cod10=42293720EU&sizeId=

 

http://www.yoox.com/us/42293743LL/item?dept=men#cod10=42293743LL&sizeId=

 

Hey guys, I was looking at the LVC collection on Yoox and saw these two pairs. Was wondering if anyone could identify them since they're at a pretty good price.  They look to be raw but I can't tell what years they are. Anyone?

[Maynard Friedman]

The first pair is a 1967 505, which is sanforized and looks raw.

 

The second pair looks like a rinsed/washed version of the 1954 ZXX, definitely not raw.

 

I think both pairs are probably made in Turkey.

[jewellben]

My 1915s with about 8-9 months wear on them. Another pair for the summer rotation.

 

These are lighter in real life, I think they've faded quickly.

 

 

Nice - have my 1915 on today but a long way to look as good as them.

[weiness]

The first pair is a 1967 505, which is sanforized and looks raw.

 

The second pair looks like a rinsed/washed version of the 1954 ZXX, definitely not raw.

 

I think both pairs are probably made in Turkey.

Thanks Maynard. I ended up ordering both. Was able to get them for just over $150 a piece which is worth a try. I guess we'll see how it works out. Yoox is pretty much a crap shoot.

[setterman]

I've tried the 1978 501- great cut and fantastic denim: fat and hairy, feels a lot more japanese than cone.

Been meaning to respond to this. Since the Warehouse 1100 didn't look like it was going to work for me, I picked up a pair of the '78s marked down at sirandmadame.com. I agree, the denim feels much fatter, heavier, dense, and more heavily starched than what you see in the earlier LVC 501 models. I like it a lot. Reminds me a of fullcount's 15oz denim, and the denim used in a pair of US made 505s I have from the early 90s. The cut isn't anywhere as slim as I was expecting though. Went with a size 38, same as I wear in the '47 and '66. It's lower rise than both, but much fuller through the thigh and waist. The rise would be too low on a 36 though, so I'm stuck with the 38 and a slouchier fit than I'd like. Oh, and for those that don't like leg twist, there was minimal twisting with this model when compared to what you see with models like the '44 through the '66.

[dr.house]

Hey Setterman,

you're totally right. To me it was a bit disappointing after the initial soak cuz' I was looking for a slimmer fit. I hotsoaked them again and they've shrunk a lot more, now they're pretty cool and the hot water didn't hurt them. The denim is still fat, hairy and dark blue and no legtwist appears (although I give a shit for leg twist).

For those who are looking for a modern cut on a LVC it's best choice.

Edited May 21, 2013 by dr.house

[setterman]

They've had a hot wash, hot soak, and a trip through the drier, so they should be done (I hope so, I had them hemmed!). Not a bad fit, but a little bigger than I'd hoped.

I'll add, this is the first LVC denim I've had get creased (along the inseam and outseam) from a trip through the washer. And, they even had a decent crease form in the shin when I left them in an over night bag folded a little less than neat. That crease fell out with some wear thankfully. Also, they breath a lot less well (heavier weight, and a tighter, denser weave) than the earlier models. Been hot and muggy here the past couple days, and they leave you soaked in sweat. Switched back to my '33s today, and will wear them and my '44s most of the summer.

[dr.house]

I went tts with 'em, the waist seemed pretty tight postsoak but they stretch a lot. To me the whole thing is a lot more jap'like than LVC. Afaik it's still 12oz Cone but it feels a lot heavier, true. 

[setterman]

Yes, it's Cone. When they previewed this model at Inspiration two years ago, a friend of mine who was there said LVC and Cone were very proud of the denim used in the '78. They still had the original "recipe", and it out very close to the vintage denim.

[Dr_Heech]

My Levis original (old) Typ 3 Jacket 557 XX .....

 

 

 

Awesome! and in my size too.

 

Can we have some more pics?

[weiness]

Hey guys, what LVC model would fit similar to the 1967 505 but with less of a taper below the knee. I grabbed a pair of the 505s off yoox for cheap and plan on keeping but want a pair I can wear with boots. I'm not a fan of the narrow leg opening with boots. Would a 1955 TTS do the trick for this? Do the 1947s have less of a taper than the 505?