Levi's Vintage Clothing

[SF2Turbo]

1 hour ago, unders said:

Mooching around the Birmingham Levi’s store last week and noticed quite a lot of the core Levi’s range sporting a big E tab.  

Mixed emotions ranging from feeling it’s taken some of the magic away from LVC/vintage (probably overthinking that one) to confusion as Levi’s have intentionally undone perhaps the most reliable method of dating their more sought after jeans and all the tradition that goes with it. 

In summary it’s just a tab and I probably shouldn’t have been bothered, but I was! 

Yep my store sells levi's the regular stuff 501 and 511 i have also noticed the big E on the new batch of jeans. It doesn't bother me to be honest but it's a stupid move from levi's. 

[Pedro]

5 hours ago, unders said:

Mooching around the Birmingham Levi’s store last week and noticed quite a lot of the core Levi’s range sporting a big E tab.  

Mixed emotions ranging from feeling it’s taken some of the magic away from LVC/vintage (probably overthinking that one) 

I think you were right to show concern over this Levi practice to use Big E tabs on non-LVC products. 

It does cheapen the LVC line and the bigger question is why has Levis chosen to do this? One obvious possibility is to profit on the general consumers’ long held belief the Big E is synonymous with a more expensive line and increases the consumers’ willingness to pay more. 

Levis has become just another Evil Empire in Corporate America.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Pedro

[VivaMarlon]

Seems a little annoying.  I also think that the only people who would notice or pay attention to something (for the most part) like that are the people like us who purchase LVC/vintage Levi's.  

[428CJ]

Big E on standard stuff is fine by me. I don't buy LVCs for a letter. I buy them for the cuts and the materials.

[501XX4EVER]

18 hours ago, unders said:

Mooching around the Birmingham Levi’s store last week and noticed quite a lot of the core Levi’s range sporting a big E tab.  

Mixed emotions ranging from feeling it’s taken some of the magic away from LVC/vintage (probably overthinking that one) to confusion as Levi’s have intentionally undone perhaps the most reliable method of dating their more sought after jeans and all the tradition that goes with it. 

In summary it’s just a tab and I probably shouldn’t have been bothered, but I was! 

 

11 hours ago, VivaMarlon said:

Seems a little annoying.  I also think that the only people who would notice or pay attention to something (for the most part) like that are the people like us who purchase LVC/vintage Levi's.  

I would agree with those that find this troubling, it does seem like the death knell for the brand and the associated heritage/history/blah that it once signified among collectors. As others have pointed out elsewhere in this thread, when Levi's got rid of manufacturing in Valencia St. in 2002 the writing was definitely on the wall and in some ways it has been a slow death, nothing they have done in the last few years would give me hope for the L.V.C. line in the future. The loss of Cone Mills only adds to that.

The bigger picture is that even some of the larger Japanese brands(Osaka 5)are having issues at the moment and are restructuring/changing so it could just be that the end of a cycle has been reached and the whole retro jeans market has peaked and will more than likely never return to previous levels.

[Pedro]

@501XX4EVER

Excellent post. 100% spot on.

Cone saw this writing on the wall.

Not only market factors of waning demand in the selvedge “retro” denim scene but a global economic cycle that is going to be returning to a bear market in the next 4-6 years where disposable income currently being spent on $200+ denim is going to dry up.

Edited May 2, 2019 by Pedro

[MJF9]

Fortunate therefore that most on Sufu have enough jeans and jackets to see them to the grave and beyond...

[501XX4EVER]

33 minutes ago, MJF9 said:

Fortunate therefore that most on Sufu have enough jeans and jackets to see them to the grave and beyond...

Yes, but how many of us, I mean them, actually realize this.

Seriously though, I'm as guilty as anyone of the too much denim issue but it's hard not to feel a little bad/sad/etc for what is clearly the end of, if not an era, the certainly a moment, especially the death of Cone Mills and the continued shit-ification of Levi's, BIG E or small e.

Edited May 2, 2019 by 501XX4EVER

[kicks79]

 

 

 

14 hours ago, 501XX4EVER said:

The bigger picture is that even some of the larger Japanese brands(Osaka 5)are having issues at the moment and are restructuring/changing so it could just be that the end of a cycle has been reached and the whole retro jeans market has peaked and will more than likely never return to previous levels.

I agree with what you are saying. I would add that the retro jean cycle (outside a small band of enthusiasts such as Sufu) has already peaked for the general market. The Osaka five were already in trouble ten years ago, as demand in the domestic market wanned. They were buoyed by interest in European and American markets for some years. Now it seems that too has also declined. 

Working in fashion retail since 2006. I have seen the market change from were every 2nd guy was wearing jeans to now if I do see denim its more likely a pair of nudies or some mainline washed out levis, bought by 20 something kids, spurred on by what they think the 1990s looked like. 

I see a young group of consumers who fetishises all things LVC related,  however, they simply don't have the money to purchase a $370 AUS pair of jeans.  

 

 

[428CJ]

10 hours ago, MJF9 said:

Fortunate therefore that most on Sufu have enough jeans and jackets to see them to the grave and beyond...

Yup. I'm set for a couple lives.

[MJF9]

I hear you with the nostalgic, end of an era lament (and regretable human impact through job loss)

However change can bring upsides

The demise of selvedge, mocs & chups ankle pandering on other social platforms

And, to try to satisfy our insatiable ongoing needs... new, niche denim talent producing and reproducing amazing denim things...

No doubt there are more...

Edited May 3, 2019 by MJF9

[Pedro]

17 minutes ago, MJF9 said:

I hear you with the nostalgic, end of an era lament (and regretable human impact through job loss)

However change can bring upsides

The demise of selvedge, mocs & chups ankle pandering on other social platforms

And, to try to satisfy our insatiable ongoing needs... new, niche denim talent producing and reproducing amazing denim things...

No doubt there are more...

Yes, OK, when given lemons then make lemonade and all that but the sad reality is the next era that is in chronological order is actually repo Disco and then moving into Acid Rock.

The ‘47 and ‘55 being replaced by studded bell bottoms and polyester and bootcut and then into the 80’s dad cuts with stonewash and a “scosh” more room.

Edited May 3, 2019 by Pedro

[Maynard Friedman]

Pre-distressed 1873 Valencia St jeans available in a couple of sizes.

[Paul T]

17 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Pre-distressed 1873 Valencia St jeans available in a couple of sizes.

I had a pair of these in the raw, natural indigo. they're not a very good repro, can never work out why they put the early patch on, with the later double yoke stitching and r'h patch location.

 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

few month ago i bought those natural indigo 1873s, unworn with tags still attached, from ebay for like 100,-€. the denim has a nice green cast and could fade beautyful. unfortunately my pair runs very big compared to 1870s from last years season, so it´s still unworn in my collection...

what happened to your pair Paul?

[Dom]

On 5/1/2019 at 12:26 PM, SF2Turbo said:

Yep my store sells levi's the regular stuff 501 and 511 i have also noticed the big E on the new batch of jeans. It doesn't bother me to be honest but it's a stupid move from levi's. 

If it's not too much trouble, next time, snap some pictures. Is the big E on modern Shrink-to-fits? 

[Paul T]

On 5/5/2019 at 4:09 PM, Sympathy-For-The-Denim said:

few month ago i bought those natural indigo 1873s, unworn with tags still attached, from ebay for like 100,-€. the denim has a nice green cast and could fade beautyful. unfortunately my pair runs very big compared to 1870s from last years season, so it´s still unworn in my collection...

what happened to your pair Paul?

I'm waiting for the end of the TCB 20s contest. And I might well give my 1890s another summer, so I think it's next year at least. They're my last pair of unworn LVC.

Plus there's a new job and a new suit for me in September so expect a worn-in photo of the natural indigo around 2025.

[Maynard Friedman]

Do you know which school you’ll be teaching in Paul?

[SF2Turbo]

9 hours ago, Dom said:

If it's not too much trouble, next time, snap some pictures. Is the big E on modern Shrink-to-fits? 

in the store i work at in the mens wear department there are regular one wash 501 and regular 511 they dont sell any raw shrink to fits. so ill try take some pic of the one wash 501 big E tab.

[SF2Turbo]

On 5/8/2019 at 9:33 AM, Dom said:

If it's not too much trouble, next time, snap some pictures. Is the big E on modern Shrink-to-fits? 

Black 501 and 511 chino type material jeans both have big E

[jewellben]

regular 501 in The Regent St store have Big E LEVIS tags too - as well as ones on sale in department stores. It's a strange decision that could impact LVC or it's just a change in approach like when they lowered cased the Levis tag. In 50 years people could by after the 2019 501 as it was the year the tag changed  (selvedge as standard will be next!)

[Pedro]

5 hours ago, jewellben said:

regular 501 in The Regent St store have Big E LEVIS tags too - as well as ones on sale in department stores. It's a strange decision that could impact LVC or it's just a change in approach like when they lowered cased the Levis tag. 

When the small “e” was introduced, there was no earlier precedent; however, the Big “E” is symbolic of a higher value product. Both the original jeans from that bygone era and now the LVC “brand” which has been partly described by the Big “E”. That red tag, along with selvedge and other items were each unique to the Premium Levi line and which Levis charges a much inflated dollar value.

I think the vast majority of consumers will equate the Big “E” with a higher value product and the Corporate heads at Levis wants to exploit that. 

So its pretty much like this. The Big “E” is short for Evil Empire. Their denim has about all the uniqueness of a Stormtrooper. Its the Dark side of the force and JP denim are like the last remaining Jedi. 

Join the Rebellion!

 

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by Pedro

[erk]

On 5/3/2019 at 12:08 PM, Pedro said:

The ‘47 and ‘55 being replaced by studded bell bottoms and polyester and bootcut and then into the 80’s dad cuts with stonewash and a “scosh” more room.

I’m wearing a pair of vintage 517 orange tabs right now. I look pretty cool if you ask me. 

[Pedro]

4 minutes ago, erk said:

I’m wearing a pair of vintage 517 orange tabs right now. I look pretty cool if you ask me. 

They are Super Cool if you can pull off the whole look.

Especially at the Roller Rink skating to Elton John “Crocodile Rock”.

 

[428CJ]

1 hour ago, erk said:

I’m wearing a pair of vintage 517 orange tabs right now. I look pretty cool if you ask me. 

517s are very far from being bells. They are boot cuts. Very mild flare, which you can't even see unless you are wearing them as highwaters. When you introduce a break or a stack (as I wear them), the flares disappear.

 

I love 517s. I wish seven belt loops was standard. Also, it's great that you can still get them raw.

[erk]

yeah the flare is pretty subtle. I’m wearing them with zero break and they really just look like straight legs 

[Dom]

On 5/10/2019 at 6:21 PM, SF2Turbo said:

 

Thanks for the post!

[SF2Turbo]

6 hours ago, Dom said:

Thanks for the post!

your welcome

[VivaMarlon]

This may have been answered, but anyone know if there will be restocks of anything that is currently unavailable? Looks like they've been out of the '66 in my size (30) for a while now.

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Cultizm has a 30/34 of the 1966 in stock if that help you