Levi's Vintage Clothing

[robbie]

found? or from the valencia street tailor shop?

[roy6]

^As made by LVC. Made in Turkey. I assume the stitching was done there too...

[robbie]

It's great.

made in turkey,your back yard, or hell it is easily the coolest thing I've seen around in some time.

[roy6]

It is nice, huh? I like how LVC has a playful side. You usually only see it in '60s/'70s repros, as if no one had a sense of humor before that.

[Joseph Hill]

Anybody else have a copy of Ed Crays' book "LEVI'S The Shrink-to-Fit business that stretched to cover the world"? It was printed in 1978, so it gives a perspective that is nicely different than what you would get if it were more recent. Unfortunately, the lions share (or is it Tigers, Grr) is on the business and biographical side, which is not bad, but leaves oust some of the technical bits that would have been invaluable. For instance, contrary to popular belief, Levis are not (or at least back then, were not) sanforized on their preshrunk models. They developed with Cone a proprietary process, but what makes it different is completely left out (maybe it was a trade secret). There are some details that were very illuminating though, and I'll try to drop the cherries as I get my computering act together.

[robbie]

I had a copy, and sold or gave it away (can't remember). Pretty interesting stuff but yea, like you said it's more about the business side of it. There are some pretty decent interviews from folks who worked in the Valencia Street Factory in the 30's and 40's (I think)... it's been 2-3 years since I read the book.

-rF

[roy6]

^You gave it to me.

I did like the bits about the early behind-the-scenes Levi's history- for example that Levi's domineering sister didn't want him to have any children of his own, so her sons would inherit the business, and so set him up with a continuous supply of ladies of easy virtue who were completely unsuitable for marriage.

[SLEEZY]

wow i really love the old time photographs on the lvc site, but man...

all those little drawings in the products section seem like such a tease. that whole section of the website seems pointless to me.

[fardin]

seeing a pic from the last inspiration show again, i wonder what happend to the two duck jackets they had on display there=? its not on the new levis vintage page? does anyone know something?

http://unitedstyle.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/inspiration_lvc_web.jpg

[devilish]

I've talked to both Ben and Alex at the Union Square store about that duck jacket every time I've been in there and they've said that it's something LVC has considered but there are no immediate plans to produce it. I think they mentioned that finding enough quality duck canvas is a hard task even for Levis these days.

[clayton]

bought this parka on sale recently.

really like it.

[setterman]

I know the answer is in here somewhere, but can't find it without spending an entire day looking. what's the shrinkage at the waist like on the 1915s? i seem to remember reading that they don't shrink all that much and stretch pretty easily. Some money that was owed to me arrived earlier this week so I ordered a pair of 1922s I've been wanting for months. Ordered a 36 waist since both LVC shops said that size measured 39" raw. I believe the denim used on the 1915 and 1922 is very close, and I'm wondering what to expect.

[devilish]

My 1915's shrank about an inch. I haven't worn them a whole bunch but I'm guessing they gave a little. They were hot soaked twice in very hot water.

[Dr_Heech]

Some money that was owed to me arrived earlier this week so I ordered a pair of 1922s I've been wanting for months. Ordered a 36 waist since both LVC shops said that size measured 39" raw. I believe the denim used on the 1915 and 1922 is very close, and I'm wondering what to expect.

Having seen both in the flesh, I can confirm that both the 1915's and 1922's are similar denim wise (the 1915 denim is marginally better raw IMO). The details are very similar too, especially the yoke and back pocket shapes.

.

[fardin]

thanks for the infos devilish

[Maynard Friedman]

thanks for the infos devilish

Setterman,

I have the 1915s and wore them on/off for 8 months. They started out at 34" raw and I hot machine washed them at 60C. They shrank to a 32" but stretched back to 34" within a few days. This is exactly the same whenever I've subsequently machine washed them (about 3-4 times at 40C).

When I went into Cinch/LVC recently they told me the denim on the 1915s and 1922s was the same.

[setterman]

thanks for the info guys! sounds like they shouldn't shrink to less than 37" at the waist. I'm planning on keeping these out of the washing machine and just hand soaking and washing, like would have been done in the 20s. Looking forward to getting them in a couple days.

[Maynard Friedman]

thanks for the info guys! sounds like they shouldn't shrink to less than 37" at the waist. I'm planning on keeping these out of the washing machine and just hand soaking and washing, like would have been done in the 20s. Looking forward to getting them in a couple days.

Finally taking airfrog's advice, eh?

[setterman]

Finally taking airfrog's advice, eh?

Ha! Nope, I plan on a couple hot soaks to get the majority of the inseam out before committing to wear. Gonna treat them sorta like my 506 jacket.

[eltopo]

Couple photos of the LVC pullover from a couple years ago.

www.banditphotographer.com

[Dr_Heech]

Looking good Eltopo.

@Setterman.

Looking forward to some fit pics when you get 'em!

.

[tropicalbird]

POW + HDR = epic

[Sansome1877]

^^^ I think thats the same duck jumper that went from roy6 to heech and then to you? Nice photos, Russ looks like he's dying.

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

need to tidy up my closet, so don´t miss to grab this bloddy rare shirt from the very early lvc years:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/320771649543?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

thank you guys

[Iwmmm]

LVC has released a "Worker wallet", only available at Levi Japan for about $300usd.

[devilish]

^ Meh, that's about 3-4 years too late. Seems very inauthentic and smacks of cashing in.

[Dr_Heech]

^^^ I think thats the same duck jumper that went from roy6 to heech and then to you? Nice photos, Russ looks like he's dying.

Mike,

The duck jumper I sold to Eltopo did not come from Roy6, it was an ebay purchase which did not fit. I think Roy6 still has his??

.

[setterman]

Looking good Eltopo.

@Setterman.

Looking forward to some fit pics when you get 'em!

.

Will do. Was hoping they'd be here today, but looks like it's going to be another day or two. Funny that for like $10 more, they can come from the other side of the planet quicker than they can come across the US....

[Dr_Heech]

Will do. Was hoping they'd be here today, but looks like it's going to be another day or two. Funny that for like $10 more, they can come from the other side of the planet quicker than they can come across the US....

Levis could learn alot from Cultizms' customer service.

I myself wont be purchasing the 1922 501xx, for the same reasons I didn't keep the 1915/17's or 1927's (see previous Lvc rants somewhere in this thread), although many of the 22's details are correct.

Instead, I have a pair of 1933's from 2004. I've removed the NRA patch, and hammered the rivets (as with another pair of '04 1933's I briefly owned, the pocket rivet fell off after just one week) - hopefully this will give them a more late 1920's feel.

Plan to wear next year after the roy comp has ended

.

[setterman]

Levis could learn alot from Cultizms' customer service.

I myself wont be purchasing the 1922 501xx, for the same reasons I didn't keep the 1915/17's or 1927's (see previous Lvc rants somewhere in this thread), although many of the 22's details are correct.

Instead, I have a pair of 1933's from 2004. I've removed the NRA patch, and hammered the rivets (as with another pair of '04 1933's I briefly owned, the pocket rivet fell off after just one week) - hopefully this will give them a more late 1920's feel.

Plan to wear next year after the roy comp has ended

.

Looking more for a certain fit and shape, plus certain details like the exposed back pocket rivets, cinch, earlier style buttons, no redline. I know I should be more concerned about historic accuracy, but I know LVC isn't going to everything 100% right, so I should just take 'em for what they are and enjoy 'em.

I like the idea with the '33s. If the 22s don't look like they're going to give me the style I'm looking for, the 33s would be my next bet.