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Levi's Vintage Clothing


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I said previously that I had problems with my LVC ‘33s scratching up my furniture. I finally went ahead and got them flat. Used a hammer and a nail setter. Granted they’re still exposed but not as much as before.

[https://imgur.com/a/LBqRh2b]

Edited by Spiraltoy
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  • 2 weeks later...
6 hours ago, vexed_wear said:

Just out of interest, are you guys looking to diversify to other brands now since LVC gone Bulgaria?

 

 

in long future [having done a lvc stock up]: probably looking at warehouse / duckdigger for 30s cuts, freewheelers for 40s/47 cut, resolute for 60s cut and staying with tcb and tender for everything else... [i.e. 50s, 20s, canvas/duck etc.]

& agreeing that aeroleather seems most extensive range of lvc outside Levis and American Classics...

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7 hours ago, vexed_wear said:

Just out of interest, are you guys looking to diversify to other brands now since LVC gone Bulgaria?

 

 

I was hoping to get a pair of 1955s before the switch but that probably won't happen unless I stumble upon a pair.  With that being said, I'll probably go to TCB for 50s stuff as well, even though I mis-sized on my first pair.  (If anyone's looking for TCB 50s pair in a size 29, I'm your guy).

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Hepcat store in Sweden tells me, the new LVC jeans are still made in the US (from Japanese denim) but Cultizm says made in the EU. 
Meanwhile the German Levi's store is nearly completely sold out on the (probably) old models.

 

edit: Hepcat updated me, made in Bulgaria

Edited by beautiful_FrEaK
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Do we know that all the raw denim is made in Bulgaria? Previously it was washed made in Turkey, raw in the US.

If so, that is shitty. But i am sitting on a good stock. I think, for instance, things like my 3-pleat are some of the best Levi's products ever. But every mountain eventually crumbles into the sand.

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You can figure out if they're the MiUSA ones or the made in Bulgaria ones by looking at the PC9 (nine-digit product code on the last tag). Pretty sure the last time I checked, the V2 models had a different code to the last MiUSA models. Honestly, didn't really expect much else from Levi's in regards to the lack of transparency... It's almost as if they're ashamed to say that these repro jeans (that they were once so proud to say were made in USA) are now made somewhere you wouldn't expect. The price ain't helping their cause either. I think they forgot what they were once good at ages ago.

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Or the Levi's historian found out that the majority of seamstresses back in the days were Bulgarian immigrants and producing in Bulgaria now is closer to the original. Next level repro...

 

;)

 

I wouldn't mind trying out the V2 models to see the Japanese denim but definitely not at full price.

Edited by beautiful_FrEaK
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1 hour ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Or the Levi's historian found out that the majority of seamstresses back in the days were Bulgarian immigrants and producing in Bulgaria now is closer to the original. Next level repro...

LOL that would be very meta

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@beautiful_FrEaK makes a fun & thought-provoking post about Hungarian employment in the US around the same period as Levi’s was started.  

Although atleast part of this contemporary move of the textile industry to Bulgaria appears to be profit driven:

“The implementation of favorable government policies in the market is a noteworthy factor that will incite growth in this market during the forecast period. Government policies for the textile manufacturing market in Bulgaria are favorable, and as a result, promote the growth of this market. Moreover, the taxation policies are also supportive of growth, as corporate and individual taxes are as low as 10%. Similarly, the customs levied on textile products are also low. Furthermore, since this region has the most affordable labor costs among the major countries in Central and Eastern Europe, manufacturers from across the globe will be encouraged to set up manufacturing facilities in Bulgaria.”

https://www.technavio.com/report/bulgaria-apparel-and-textile-textile-manufacturing-market-bulgaria-2016-2020

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Agreed with bF, they're crazy if they think people who REALLY pay attention to this stuff will pay full price for products that aren't even made in the US using Cone Mills anymore.  That was a big part of the appeal of LVC, at least for me.  Glad my pairs of 1947 and 1954 were prior to this change, just wish I would've been able to get my hands on more.

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^ Yeah. I'm not too interested without the White Oak denim. It's not that the jeans will "suck" or anything like that, but I really love most White Oak selvedge. It's almost like the Japanese denim is too good in some way; White Oak seems more like what I remember my old Levi's looking and feeling like. That's why I tried to stock up on a lifetime supply of LVCs before the switch. I managed to do it without paying full price on any of it too (and some of it was for a ridiculous bargain, like my '66s for $72 directly from Levi's, in my proper size). I ended up with 2x 1880s (one regular, one downsized), 2x 1915s, 1933s, 1944s, 2x 1955s (one regular and one downsized), 1966s, 1976s, Type I jacket, 2x TPB (one rigid, one single rinse, which I got solely to overdye black). I also have a Turkish-made LVC blanket lined rigid Type I that I got extremely oversized. I call that a lifetime supply, especially considering that my LVCs are not the only jeans I wear.  My Freenotes use White Oak 14.75 oz. selvedge. It is some of the best looking and best feeling denim I have ever worn.

Edited by 428CJ
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@428CJ

I hope you insured your cache!

They will be pushing $500/pair within 2 years.

I agree its like childhood memories wearing that White Oak denim but I have switched to SC and they are built twice as good as LVC (although that 50/50 just does not get the same fade ;-(

BTW, don’t get fat ! I mean horizontally challenged.

Edited by Pedro
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1 hour ago, Pedro said:

@428CJ

I hope you insured your cache!

They will be pushing $500/pair within 2 years.

I agree its like childhood memories wearing that White Oak denim but I have switched to SC and they are built twice as good as LVC (although that 50/50 just does not get the same fade ;-(

BTW, don’t get fat ! I mean horizontally challenged.

The only ones that I might not actually wear are the 1880s. They were limited edition (a run of 300 pair), and originally priced at $600 per pair (while "normal" LVCs were $240 to $260). I got my two pair for about 70 percent off, straight from Levi's, after a series of markdowns stacked with sales. They have the single rear pocket, but are otherwise very similar to my 1915s. My '66s and TPBs were also insanely marked down. I think I paid $120 for the rinsed one, and $140 for the rigid one. I paid $72 for the '66s, which is $12 more than sticker price on a pair of standard STFs. Everything else I got for 25 to 50 percent off.

Those 1880s I got just because the deal was crazy. I might wear one and keep the other in mothballs. Or I might simply be satisfied with the 1915s (which are close enough), and keep both 1880s in mothballs. Everything else, I got to wear, and to last me.

I never bothered with everyone's go-to LVCs, the 1947s. For one, I prefer the other LVC cuts. For another, I decided I wanted the Sugar Canes instead, because the denim used on them is so incredible (I have it on a SC Type II).

Edited by 428CJ
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I realized, I never took fit pics of my 1976 pair. Size 34x34, washed once.

VqfNn0ch.jpgkHwzZuvh.jpg

 

 

Edit: By the way, anyone interested in a pair of LVC 501XX 1947 in size 36x34 made in USA out of White Oak Cone denim? Washed twice for initial shrinkage and worn a bit but no flaws and in great condition. Still too big for me.

Edited by beautiful_FrEaK
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11 hours ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

I realized, I never took fit pics of my 1976 pair. Size 34x34, washed once.

VqfNn0ch.jpgkHwzZuvh.jpg

 

 

Edit: By the way, anyone interested in a pair of LVC 501XX 1947 in size 36x34 made in USA out of White Oak Cone denim? Washed twice for initial shrinkage and worn a bit but no flaws and in great condition. Still too big for me.

This looks good.  I got a pair of 76 purely from hearing praises from this group.  But now since USA made is gone I have a hard time of deciding whether to wear it or just keep it pristine.  

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