Levi's Vintage Clothing

[almostnice]

You need to meet my mate Gerald. He deals in obscure things on eBay (skateboard, scooter parts, 60s coffee machines) and cuts hair. for many years he did it either in a psychedelic-painted ambulance, or would arrive at your house on a scooter.

I think his pride and joy is a Li150, series 1 - late 50s IIRC, in a sandy beige kinda finish, with those lovely big tractor-style seats.

Edit : Great shots eletrum, good to see they're keeping the quality up on these. Did you get actual size?

i love that model.i bought my first ever lambretta in 85,Li 150 Series 1 but with dualseat.boring slow and unreliable as fuck,but those curves...

i travelled the UK a lot by scooter in the 90s and met many bizarre characters obsessed with scootering.

oh,i also got my first ever 501 that year-must be one of the first series after levis stopped using selvagedenim.i remember a big advertising campaign then ( the bathtub commercial).

[RightHand]

Any chance we can get some pictures??? Did Cinch get anything else new in yesterday??

Thanks

I didn't ask about anything else, but they're getting a lot of new deliveries over the next couple of weeks.

Bad pics below.

construction details under the collar.

neck label, this photo shows truest collar of the cloth, other photos taken with flash.

full frontal

[ChuckO]

yes we all know the pics from pauls book, its great!

I didn't know that was from Paul's book! I keep meaning to pick it up so I just went to his website to find out the exact name and I saw he's the editor of Mojo. Nice job Paul! Mojo's fantastic.

[jstavrin]

Boots, jeans and Buzz Rickson are timeless. But think about the dudes decked out head to toe with MFSC. I think some of them (I said some) will look back and say, "What the fuck was I doing." Especially when the debt collectors are knocking on their door.

I suppose so, at least in regards to the price.

Can anyone speak for the quality of LVC t-shirts? Oki-ni is never the best way to tell how something fits, but the cut looks pretty cool.

[Paul T]

I had the black motorbiker T shirt from 2003 or so, got it as part of a deal I did with Levi's. Ift felt like an old, vintage shirt and the cut was beautiful. The g/f regularly siad ti was the most flattering t-shirt I'd owned. I do find the idea of blowing £50 on a t shirt obscene, but they are amazing articles.

rnrswitch, i hear ya. Amazing items, but it's easy to over-do them. Some people here buy that stuff because they have a real appreciation of the beautiful detailing, and that's very welcome, but it's irritating when this board just becomes a way of showing off how much you've spent on clothes. It's an example of stupidity, really, because clothes are remarkably bad investemtn, unless ya wear the damn things!

[ChuckO]

I had the black motorbiker T shirt from 2003 or so, got it as part of a deal I did with Levi's. Ift felt like an old, vintage shirt and the cut was beautiful. The g/f regularly siad ti was the most flattering t-shirt I'd owned. I do find the idea of blowing £50 on a t shirt obscene, but they are amazing articles.

How long did it last? I don't mind spending the money on jeans as they're tough but I imagine I'd worry too much over a $75 t.

I'll have to compare the price of jeans from say 1980 with the price of a pair of LVC in one of those online inflation adjusters. See how they compare.

[Paul T]

It last no longer than a standard one... I only get decent Ts - still have a bunch of British made Marks and Spencer ones. The Levis one was thinner as it was kind of distressed. But I paid less than that for my boots (Grafter brogues) so it's hard to justify them on a value-for-money basis. But it's hrd with Ts, isn't it? I don't rate Gap or Banana Republic ones, even the cut is crappy.

[ChuckO]

From what I remember I think a pair of Levi's cost about $30US in 1980. The inflation calculator said that same item would cost $78.11US in 2009.

[Cobblers]

You need to meet my mate Gerald. He deals in obscure things on eBay (skateboard, scooter parts, 60s coffee machines) and cuts hair. for many years he did it either in a psychedelic-painted ambulance, or would arrive at your house on a scooter.

I think his pride and joy is a Li150, series 1 - late 50s IIRC, in a sandy beige kinda finish, with those lovely big tractor-style seats.

Edit : Great shots eletrum, good to see they're keeping the quality up on these. Did you get actual size?

Is this the Gerald who had the hair shop down in Maze Hill? If so, quality guy! Used to go there in the late 90's and loved the Small faces poster in the lavatory!

If you see him about tell him Steve the old Melody Maker/Corduroy photographer say's hello!

[ChuckO]

It last no longer than a standard one... I only get decent Ts - still have a bunch of British made Marks and Spencer ones. The Levis one was thinner as it was kind of distressed. But I paid less than that for my boots (Grafter brogues) so it's hard to justify them on a value-for-money basis. But it's hrd with Ts, isn't it? I don't rate Gap or Banana Republic ones, even the cut is crappy.

Yup everything clothes wise is difficult these days if you have any standards. That's why the LVC situation was pretty scary last year. If nothing else I have the jean situation settled.

[Paul T]

Is this the Gerald who had the hair shop down in Maze Hill? If so, quality guy! Used to go there in the late 90's and loved the Small faces poster in the lavatory!

If you see him about tell him Steve the old Melody Maker/Corduroy photographer say's hello!

He's the one! Quality guy indeed. Shop was on Pelton Road.

Go on, what's the surname?? He's probably told me about you, being an incorrigible gossip.

[ChuckO]

Why is the '67 lengths all sized like STF's? Too much trouble for everyone involved to deal with lengths? Not much point in offering a sanforized option if you can't get your length.

[Mr Black]

I

If you see him about tell him Steve the old Melody Maker/Corduroy photographer say's hello!

You mean the band Corduroy? Used to love seeing them back in the day. They were brilliant live!!

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

i had several pairs of ´67 one from a 555 version and they never measured true to size in length, 32s always measured 33-34"...

@electrum: i wonder if the cut of the 201s had change a bit from the 555 version for i never loved the extreme tapered waist, since i have no ass those look strange at me...

[jstavrin]

Paul: Thanks for the information. I may consider buying one if I come across some *very* disposable income.

Apologies in advance if I'm remembering this incorrectly, but did someone say awhile back that the current batch (or sometime in the future) of LVCs are no longer going to be made at Cone?

And has anyone here ever checked out American Classics in London? I'd probably appreciate it more now than I did at the time but I remember them having a ton of LVC, Sugar Cane, Red Wings, and other cool vintage items.

[airfrogusmc]

Paul: Thanks for the information. I may consider buying one if I come across some *very* disposable income.

Apologies in advance if I'm remembering this incorrectly, but did someone say awhile back that the current batch (or sometime in the future) of LVCs are no longer going to be made at Cone?

And has anyone here ever checked out American Classics in London? I'd probably appreciate it more now than I did at the time but I remember them having a ton of LVC, Sugar Cane, Red Wings, and other cool vintage items.

If I'm not mistaken all LVCs will be using Cone denim even Japanese LVC and even the early models that were using Japanese denim will now be cone.

[jstavrin]

Weird. I could have sworn I heard something about production being moved to Turkey or something.

[Paul T]

Airfgrog's summarised it. THere will be some exceptions; the 505 will be made in Turkey, using Kaihara fabric, which will be used for all the Sanforized jeans. THe denim, it is said, for all 501 will come from Cone - at the moment they do everything back to 1915, with earlier fabric coming from Kurabo, but Cone are apparently taking over the denim for earlier jeans, too. LVC Japan is no more, the whole world gets the same repros (in recent years, Japan used its own fabric for many models).

THat said, the new 201 seems to use Kurabo fabric. I'm sure more details will emerge. I'm interested to see Cone's take on the early fabric like the 1880s and 1901s. Previous cotton duck came from, I would guess, Japan, but the new stuff is Cone and looks amazing. Airfrog', have you seen the cotton duck jumper at Oki Ni??

Don't know where manufacture of the jeans themselves is, my guess is Caitac, or Denim-Tech, in California.

I think I've heard also that some denim for washed jeans might come from Orta Mills in Turkey (they supplied, eg, the Blue Bell reissues, really nice denim)

[Cobblers]

You mean the band Corduroy? Used to love seeing them back in the day. They were brilliant live!!

Aye, I did the photos for High Havoc and Out of Here plus the next one the name of which I forget, It was post Acid Jazz and a lot of fun go shoot. I also did their early press shot which looks like they're jumping off a high wall. It wasn't, I was lying on the floor.

[airfrogusmc]

Airfgrog's summarised it. THere will be some exceptions; the 505 will be made in Turkey, using Kaihara fabric, which will be used for all the Sanforized jeans. THe denim, it is said, for all 501 will come from Cone - at the moment they do everything back to 1915, with earlier fabric coming from Kurabo, but Cone are apparently taking over the denim for earlier jeans, too. LVC Japan is no more, the whole world gets the same repros (in recent years, Japan used its own fabric for many models).

THat said, the new 201 seems to use Kurabo fabric. I'm sure more details will emerge. I'm interested to see Cone's take on the early fabric like the 1880s and 1901s. Previous cotton duck came from, I would guess, Japan, but the new stuff is Cone and looks amazing. Airfrog', have you seen the cotton duck jumper at Oki Ni??

Don't know where manufacture of the jeans themselves is, my guess is Caitac, or Denim-Tech, in California.

I think I've heard also that some denim for washed jeans might come from Orta Mills in Turkey (they supplied, eg, the Blue Bell reissues, really nice denim)

Yeah Paul I saw the jumper. SWEEEEET,

[Mr Black]

Aye, I did the photos for High Havoc and Out of Here plus the next one the name of which I forget, It was post Acid Jazz and a lot of fun go shoot. I also did their early press shot which looks like they're jumping off a high wall. It wasn't, I was lying on the floor.

Nice one. You certainly get some interesting people on here. I've been craving after a WMCA sweatshirt ever since seeing one on the Out of here cover.

Think I remember the early shots. A lot of white denim if I remember correctly?

[Mr Black]

Paul: Thanks for the information. I may consider buying

And has anyone here ever checked out American Classics in London? I'd probably appreciate it more now than I did at the time but I remember them having a ton of LVC, Sugar Cane, Red Wings, and other cool vintage items.

Not been in Classics for a while, but can I suggest Son of a Stag off brick lane. They stock LVC, Studio D', Lee archive , Allevol, Commonplace, Red Wings, Viberg, plus tons of other stuff.

Slightly biased as I work there part time, but it's a great shop- plus they do chainstitching on-site (can be done while you wait if someone who can operatethe machines is there at the time)

[Cobblers]

Nice one. You certainly get some interesting people on here. I've been craving after a WMCA sweatshirt ever since seeing one on the Out of here cover.

Think I remember the early shots. A lot of white denim if I remember correctly?

Yeh, lots and lots of white denim. Interestingly enough I did a shoot with them on Commercial Road for an early Levis Vintage line (About '96 I believe), no denim just the 60's repro stuff which was largely Corduroy wearing corduroy.

[Mr Black]

I remember that stuff. all white tag, bedford cord truckers etc?

[ThomasK]

Does anyone have deeper information about the leather patch on the 47? Is the two-horse-writing(etc) either 'stamped in' a little bit or is it just printed flat on the leather?

How was ist on the real model and are there differences on repros (from different seasons)?

thanks.

[Paul T]

[Paul T]

Oh yes, might as well put my 47 fit pic on here. My waist size is 32, these were 34W, actual size was 33.

[Shorty Long]

Detour Clothing in Milwaukee is also set to carry LVC. They're supposed to be providing me with a list of items.

[Paul T]

My mate Gerald got the last pair of sale 201 at Okini, I think. Thinks they're beautiful. And it was a Lambretta Series C, 1951, that I ogled. This is as well as the Li150. Not his bike, but you get the idea...

Oh yes, and a Roman Holiday Vespa, is one more, from a total of seven...

[mikedbt5]

Not Lvc but the pics below are of my 1967 505 tag W32 / 30 but were W34(products with roots range) Got these about Summer/Autumn last year and wore them walking from work a lot but stopped wearing them pre xmas and will be benching/selling these . Thought I would drop some pics . Bloody good jeans , tough as fuck to fade though . They havnt been washed . Details are pretty good , chainstitch hem , alternate coloured stitching though the modern patch ticks me !!

Have some fit pics to come of LVC 1978's soon !!!