Levi's Vintage Clothing

[andyrcii 265]

Just was admiring the leather patch on my 44s. Its the best patch out of all I have seen (1890,1933,1937,1944,1947)

so I was looking at the tag to see if it said “bovine leather” or anything about the patch. Then I noticed they were made in Japan also, like all the other new stuff I have got recently. I didn’t notice at the time, I just assumed they were Bulgarian. I did notice the number 01 stamped on the button, and thought that the Bulgarian factory had started stamping them (as my 76s are blank). 
 

now I realise the button says 3015, and it was just a bad stamping, you can just barely make out where the other 2 numbers should be.

as for the quality, they are just as good as my Cones, fading nicely, been washed 4 times, 170 days wear. First wash at 115 days. 

Edited July 9, 2022 by andyrcii

[andyrcii 265]

Went to the beach to do a sea wash on my 1890’s and 1944’s.  Wore them into the sea, covered them in sand, rubbed a little, and went back in to rinse them. Sat in the sun for a bit. The 44s buttons are really starting to rust.. nice patina forming.. maybe they were using cheap steel on the doughnut buttons? I was skeptical of the sea wash actually cleaning the jeans, but it does actually work.  

Edited July 10, 2022 by andyrcii

[freshwater 9,492]

Have had many jeans over the years but I'll always have a soft spot for the early Valencia Street 555 stuff. What followed I thought was never quite the same in look and feel. I still remember being excited popping down to London's American Classics on the Kings Rd to pick up my first pair of 55's. Used and abused several pairs in the late 90's early 00's. Thankfully I've managed to pick up 3 pairs over the last 10 years at decent prices which I wear very sparingly as replacing them would be difficult and expensive. The 55's fit spot on. The 47's needed a hot wash and a blast in the tumble dryer. The 44's need a belt but I prefer them slightly relaxed. Have some great other Japanese jeans that tick all the boxes but my 555 55's,44's & 47's will always be special to me.....

 

 

 

[lee porter 407]

Wish I’d kept mine 

[andyrcii 265]

Nice little fades experiment with my 44s and 55s.

the 55s are on a more infrequent wash regimen, first wash at 210 wears, then another wash at 245. Currently at 272 wears.

the 44s are aiming for faster results or a more “vintage” fade. First wash at 115 days, then at 135, 145, 160, sea wash at 172 wears. Currently at 174. 
 

Pretty nice results with both regimens.  

[andyrcii 265]

[Dry 487]

I have been loving these 3 pairs of 501XXc's since March 2021 bought new. The W31 and W33s have had multiple washes, the quite hairy W32s are unwashed.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Dry
Duplicated pics

[andyrcii 265]

Here’s what happened with the 1937s:

took forever to get the larger size because Yodel lost the returned parcel (HOW are they still in business?) 

the shrunken 34 waist looks quite like the unshrunk 32 waist, though I am keeping them up with a belt. I only bathtub soaked these, so room for more shrinkage, I just didn't want to lose much indigo. This fit definitely is going to work.

 

Unshrunk 32w:

 

unshrunk 34w:

 

shrunk 34w. 

Edited July 23, 2022 by andyrcii

[Paul T 1,824,006]

Hand-washed my 3-pleat and 1880s natural indigo.

Compared to my old Kurabo versions, I've washed both of these quite a lot. In both cases, tbh, they look better when they're dirty but I got dirt-shamed on this board and the shame has lingered...

[Paul T 1,824,006]

[Facini 492]

@Paul TThose old Kurabo jackets, weren't they T-backs? Unlike all the later iterations?

Anyway, really dig the light blues of that denim... 9 or 10oz? Really love me some lightweight denim - there's a really supple feeling with that weight. 

Edited July 27, 2022 by Facini

[Paul T 1,824,006]

This 3-pleat is actually the Cone version. Should've said. It was quite a big deal as they did a 1880s denim for both the jacket and pants. Then these pants are the final Cone iteration of the early denim, in natural indigo.

BTW, I checked my old photos of the Kurabo 3-pleat and that had a single-piece back.

I have a pair of Kurabo 1890s, plus natural indigo 20s 201 and they're all very different. Kurabo way more green and crocks way less so you get area fading (over the pockets) but no whiskers. If I get a chance I'll pull them out and do a comparison, they've probably each had three summer between them. Yes, this light denim is lovely for the summer.

Edited July 28, 2022 by Paul T

[Paul T 1,824,006]

INteresting that the natural indigo - which is often described as more green - is way redder. Natural indigo 1880s n the left, Kurabo 1890s in the right. The Kurabo are from 2005 I think. I like Kurabo's interpretation too. the micro contrast isn't there, and it doesn't really crock, but I like the area fades and the dark green tinge. However, they were way harder work; hand wash only and months between washes, the jeans on the right probably had 6 months more work than the jeans on the left. No leg twist on the Kurabo fabric, loads on the Cone.

I think Kurabo 1880s/1890s has always been pretty much the same fabric, so the Kurabo 3-pleat will fade like the jeans on the right.

When I went through my retained stash, I found the 1901, which are different again - less green, more contrast. And I look forward to getting out my Kurabo 201 in a few years. The slowest faders I've ever owned and definitely an LVC classic

Edited July 28, 2022 by Paul T

[indigoeagle 1,109]

Does anyone know how the fit of the current LVC 1947 Made in Japan with Kaihara denim compares with that of about 10 years that was Made in the US with Cone denim?

I remember reading somewhere, that the thighs got a bit bigger, but that it otherwise stayed more or less the same.

[Maynard Friedman 570,904]

I see the Aeroleather website has been updated and so have the prices of their remaining Cone LVC jeans - now yours for just £390!

[smoothsailor 3,118]

How can the cost of deadstock go up?

[Maynard Friedman 570,904]

The cost can’t but the perceived value, and therefore the price, can!

[Dr_Heech 568,657]

4 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

I see the Aeroleather website has been updated and so have the prices of their remaining Cone LVC jeans - now yours for just £390!

Bound to creep up in price and 40 quid rise isn't too bad. Tbh price rise aside, l would easily go with the new japanese denim as opposed to Cone. Never saw the big deal with new Cone (the stuff specifically designed/manufactured for Lvc) as all the slubbiness and imperfections were sort of ironed out compared to the same fabric of yesteryear. I'm not knocking Cone here but with all the experience the Japanese mills have in recent years l would expect a similar if not superior denim is used and probably fades similarly too(?)

 

[Maynard Friedman 570,904]

The new LVC jeans and jackets seem to be made in Japan now so I’d expect them to be of decent construction. I’m sure this also gives them a greater appeal  than a made in Bulgaria tag to anyone genuinely interested in denim. Obviously some people still want to buy a piece of ‘true Americana’ so as the availability of the US-made Cone pairs diminishes, the price will continue to go up.

EDIT: I’m wearing my 55s from 2007 as I type this and I’m very happy with them. I’ll put some photos up when I put them away at the end of summer.

Edited August 22, 2022 by Maynard Friedman

[MJF9 11,513]

@Maynard Friedman looking forward to the fit pics already!!!  

[andyrcii 265]

Aero Leather will have those cones sitting there forever. No one is dumb enough to pay that much… (I hope). Cone deadstock pairs I have seen turn up on ebay sell usually for no more than £210.

Edited September 7, 2022 by andyrcii

[Denimstoyevsky 167]

So I picked these up from a vintage store here in Berlin and I was hoping some Valencia St. wizards could shed more light on them. They look to be pre-LVC 60s repros, but I wasn't aware that Levi's did 60s repros at the time... Have you guys seen pairs like this before? Also, any idea where the denim comes from? Any clues would be great. Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Denimstoyevsky
Reuploaded pics in correct format.

[Maynard Friedman 570,904]

It looks like they were made in 1994 (not sure if the 11 represents November or week 11 of that year). They may be part of the pre-LVC Capital E range. No idea on the denim but I’d assume Cone.

[Denimstoyevsky 167]

Yeah, I assumed 11/94, but I guess I’m looking for more info on those  pre-LVC big Es. I thought they only made 37s and 55s back then… 

[Maynard Friedman 570,904]

I think the Capital E model was a generic pair, perhaps based on a 60s model, first produced in ‘92, so probably Levi’s first attempt to cash in on the selvedge trend, evidenced by the popularity of vintage/second-hand pairs. The 37s (which had a different name - 201 I think) and 55s only came about with the advent of LVC later in the ‘90s and the demand for more authentic reproductions.

Edited September 11, 2022 by Maynard Friedman

[Dr_Heech 568,657]

Spot on Martin. Yep you summed it up perfectly. There was also the fact that the generic 66 big E came in a 'presentation box'. Then in '96 the 3 models that were introduced as the Levis vintage clothing range, the 2 you mentioned and the '1963 551zxx' ,with a zip fly obviously .

The lvc stuff was a vast improvement on the 66.

 

Edited September 11, 2022 by Dr_Heech

[Paul T 1,824,006]

On 9/11/2022 at 12:19 PM, Maynard Friedman said:

I think the Capital E model was a generic pair, perhaps based on a 60s model, first produced in ‘92, so probably Levi’s first attempt to cash in on the selvedge trend, evidenced by the popularity of vintage/second-hand pairs. The 37s (which had a different name - 201 I think) and 55s only came about with the advent of LVC later in the ‘90s and the demand for more authentic reproductions.

That's exactly right. It was Cone denim.

I actually saw the Capital E being made when I visited Valencia st in 1992. I'm hugely annoyed with myself for not taking photos - and also for winding up the factory foreman by asking why this was a generic and not an accurate replica. And I was wearing the Lee Riders reissue. I could've found out useful stuff but didn't.

the earlier Levi's Japan reissues used Kaihara. I'm hugely annoyed with myself because I recently found the email from the Levi's Japan employee with the details and I didn't file it somewhere safe. Urgh.

[crownzip 570,644]

With cooler finally here in NYC, decided to break out the LVC Japan 1937 501's.

[DavidThoreau 85]

Just received my 501 1947 and my Type 2 jacket from LVC.

They are both made in Japan. 

Good news, as my 1954 from 2 years ago is made in Turkey. 

 

Edit : my type 2 shrank like a mo'f*cker. It fits so good now.

Edited September 30, 2022 by DavidThoreau

[Mongmeohotdau814 18]

can you share the measurements before and after the soak?  by big measure