Levi's Vintage Clothing

[wgmds]

whats the deal? all of the levi stores stop getting ALL lvc. anyone know US stores that still have em?

[Johnnylazar]

You can call any levi store and ask them to look it up. They put most of them on clearance a while ago, so the chance of finding them is pretty slim.

[ThomasK]

whats the deal? all of the levi stores stop getting ALL lvc. anyone know US stores that still have em?

yea, that's really annouying. hopefully no sign of stopping to produce them...

[airfrogusmc]

They (Levis Stores) haven't carried much in the LVC line ever. I was talking with the manager at the Mich Ave store in Chicago a few years back and she said they loose on LVCs because no one buys them and they wind up selling at a loss. She said not like Europe or Asia. Go figure.

Dejan (Cultizm) is the best place to score LVCs. He even can get things that he doesn't have on his site. His customer services is INCREDIBLE.

[RRLselvageDenim]

airfrogusmc is right^. BTW - it makes sense that Levis would discontinue the LVC line in the US because people aren't buying them. I think one way Levis can still sell their LVC's in the US is allow customers to purchase online from their other sites like Japan, EU and other Levis sites that carry the LVC line.

[erk]

yeah, I don't see what the problem was with having them for sale at least online.

but I did call them about LVC recently. I asked if the LVC line was nolonger available in the US. they said that it was and that it was available at flagship stores in san fran and ny. that was like a month ago and I'm pretty sure thats wrong.

[airfrogusmc]

^what these guys said.

my 1947 501xx (sz 34 x 34) measured exactly 34" x 34" when i got them raw 2 years ago. They've been washed and soaked more times than I can count, and though they usually shrink a little each time, the waist still measures 34" because my true waist is about 33-34" and I wear them regularly. However, the inseam is now about 31" or 32".

Yep shrink to fit. They stretch were they're tight and shrink were they're not giving a kinda custom fit.

[airfrogusmc]

yeah, I don't see what the problem was with having them for sale at least online.

but I did call them about LVC recently. I asked if the LVC line was nolonger available in the US. they said that it was and that it was available at flagship stores in san fran and ny. that was like a month ago and I'm pretty sure thats wrong.

I totally blame this on Levis not marketing LVC properly. I mean they're are so many folks that are potential customers that have no idea that LVC even exists.

[Medine]

I would definitely agree that LVC hasn't marketed right, or at all really. I don't think I have ever seen any advertising for LVC, but also good marketing and advertising in America probably won't help that much because most Americans would never pay lots of money on a pair of Levi's.. So i don't see why they wouldnt sell LVC on their website or make a separate web store because i would think online would be the largest market for America

[ThomasK]

Is Europe a better market for LVC and why? Because US is where it all started?

EDIT: OK, the money, I see.

[almostnice]

Is Europe a better market for LVC and why? Because US is where it all started?

iam no economist,but i see it as simple as this:if you dont make enough profit in a certain market you stop investing in it.i know this is fucking more complex but i am sure there are other ppl round here who are willing to discuss this far beyond me.

[ThomasK]

yes, would be interesting. though the lvc line could be advertised like nothing else. it's like coke, only premium. like levis says on their website: the spirit and heart of the products nowadays. shure, thats pure marketing but I think (I am not an expert) they could make more out of this. as s.o. said. some might not even know that there's sth. like LVC

[airfrogusmc]

Most Americans don't want to pop $200 for a pair of jeans but I think if they marketed correctly and to the right customer they could do better than what they are doing. When the average Joe goes into the Levis store and sees a pair of say 1955s raw on the shelf and they cost say 180 and just down the way is a pair of regular 501 STFs and he has no idea that these are selvage and are much different than the STFs hes walking right by. Most of the regular sales people in Levis stores have NO IDEA what LVC is or have any idea of the history. I asked one time if they had any 20s 201s and the girl looked at me and said that Levis doesn't make such a # that they only make 501s and 505s etc and that I must surely mean 701s and those were sold only in Japan.

[Medine]

I think if LVC was sold in boutiques and other small clothing stores and maybe some higher end department stores where sales people actually know what theyre talking about, that it would do much better.. hell, i dont even know where I can find LVC in any stores by me.

[ThomasK]

so levis really should listen to their customers-maybe they would see that they are making mistakes. this happens so often. you think of a company 'well, can't they see what's wrong' I mean, most times, they are not stupid and know what theuy're doing.... (like the discussion if the iPhone should have a real keyboard ) it's my first selvage jeans and so I searched the web for lets say 2-3 weeks and found out there's a community of people being addicted to the stuff. it's ike sneakers or just so many things. what really got my attention on those '47 that I own 2 pairs of (is this correct english), is the cut. I mean those modern 501 aren't what I was looking for (cut and the style...). But I guess it's gonna be interesting the next months/years...

[the_ming]

Most of the regular sales people in Levis stores have NO IDEA what LVC is or have any idea of the history. I asked one time if they had any 20s 201s and the girl looked at me and said that Levis doesn't make such a # that they only make 501s and 505s etc and that I must surely mean 701s and those were sold only in Japan.

as a long time unix admin/IT worker, i am now used to being far more knowledgeable about a product than 90% of the employees of the company producing said product.

sad, isn't it?

[almostnice]

I think if LVC was sold in boutiques and other small clothing stores and maybe some higher end department stores where sales people actually know what theyre talking about, that it would do much better.. hell, i dont even know where I can find LVC in any stores by me.

for me its ok that small dedicated companys like aeroleather or cultizm makes a living out of it.they know their stuff and are willing to help.i prefer to buy from them rather than from the levis onlineshop.i once shoot them a mail regarding the non-shrinking of the 201 and got a reply that pissed me right off.i for one one give a shit about levismarketing,as long as i can get my stuff through aero or cultizm.

[ThomasK]

yes, absolutely. as long as i can get them, i don't care if they don't have a big community in the us or anywhere...

i have the feeling that the levis cutsomer service doesn't read the mail they get very attentively

[Medine]

I think Levi's is just too big of a corporation for them to give specialized attention to LVC.. LVC would almost have to branch out as their own brand to do things right

[ThomasK]

for how long is lvc around? '99?

[erk]

for me its ok that small dedicated companys like aeroleather or cultizm makes a living out of it.they know their stuff and are willing to help.i prefer to buy from them rather than from the levis onlineshop.i once shoot them a mail regarding the non-shrinking of the 201 and got a reply that pissed me right off.i for one one give a shit about levismarketing,as long as i can get my stuff through aero or cultizm.

If I remember correctly it was the same price to buy a 1947 from levis online shop as it was from cultizm back when that was still an option. which is crazy cause its coming from germany. I'm definitely sold on cultizm, but I could actually exchange things if there was a US online shop for lvc.

[Guest jbone45]

I'm a die hard LVC fan, but Levi's brand today is a failure. This new campaign they're coming out with now about "honestly made Levi's, and to appreciate 501's history" is so whack. What's honestly made about an 8 year old kid in Taiwan making the jeans? It's nothing but hypocrisy. I know this isn't anything new, but what they're claiming now is absolutely ludacris.

[almostnice]

for how long is lvc around? '99?

if i remember correctly LVC first came out in 1995 with the (wrong) 201 which is highly recommended here.Dr.Heech ,PaulT(takes a rest atm),or Airfrog should know it better..

[airfrogusmc]

for how long is lvc around? '99?

I think I read1996.....

[almostnice]

did a quick check in Pauls book,looks like you are right,1996!

[ThomasK]

theres a book by him? I know, I am asking a lot of question, i hope you don't mind.

[almostnice]

BUT,and this is some nerdy stuff now,i remember reading a feature about the LVC 201 in the UK based Loaded magazine around 95/96 and in this issue was also a feature about some reggae-dub album from the blood and fire label: Dub gone crazy by King Tubby and Prince Jammy,which i have in my collection and that was released 1995.

enough said....well,forget it!!!

[Dr_Heech]

I think I read1996.....

The earliest garments from the original Levis vintage clothing line were marked 06/96 + 09/96. There were the 1994 'big E' 501's, a precursor to the 96 collection - they are more of a late '60's reissue.

I have some of the 201's mentioned, they are 1937 201xx's, and one pair is from 96, which is when the initial launch took place. I only remember seeing them and the 1890 replica back then. That was in American classics in Endell st. By 1999, when I first bought a pair of '47's, Cinch had opened and supplied the full range - an awesome sight.

[almostnice]

http://www.amazon.de/Denim-Cowboys-Catwalks-History-Legendary/dp/1845131118/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books-intl-de

qid=1247086535&sr=1-1

check this link ThomasK

[fardin]

i wrote paul in may, after i found the levis videos on youtube. i have posted them here and the first one was from 1993, for a 1937 repro. although i dont think the comercials of the beginning of the 90s were really about selling the pants that we know now as LVC but rather the heritage. i also have an old THE FACE issue from 1992 with an article on vintage levis repros from japan and the states. pity i dont have the answer paul wrote me but i remember him saying levis japan started reproducing by the end of the 80s and the first american repros were calles capital E`s in the beginning of the 90s. in the article i have there is even a pic od this dude wearing a 506 jacket in 1992, and they also refer to them as Capitol E´s.