Levi's Vintage Clothing

[almostnice]

Really great pics Paul,dont let us wait too long with more details about your roadtrip,even if I know where the denim is made..

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

from New York to Miami?

[Paul T]

Right first time, sir! Via Pennsylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

It was a music-themed story, but I made a special detour for this:

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

cone mills?

wanna lough by the way, than watch out this:

http://cgi.ebay.de/LEVIS-501-mit-Aufdruck-STOLEN-FROM-LEVIS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ66Q3a4Q7c65Q3a10Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1309QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem290288797857QQitemZ290288797857QQptZDEQ5fKleidungQ5fAccessoiresQ5fHerrenbekleidungQ5fHerrenjeansQQsalenotsupported

I´m sure Lynn gonna by this pair

[Paul T]

Yes, White Oak.

It was amazing, I learned a huge amount, although huge time pressures meant I had to be in and out in around an hour.

This place is a repository of amazing knowledge, especially in the detail. Even odd things that we've debated here, as to whether Cone used sulphur in the dye process from 1922 - they didn't. Plus what REALLY happened to the old looms, in what is a new version of the story.

[Shorty Long]

I don't like the sound of this...

From the Cone website:

"Cone Denim â„¢

Established in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1891 by brothers Moses and Ceasar Cone, Cone Denim has been a leading supplier of fabric to top denim apparel brands for over 100 years. Throughout the century, Cone Denim has been synonymous with authenticity and innovation. Today, the same entrepreneurial spirit, expertise and advanced capability continues to service and inspire the global market. Cone Denim currently operates in the U.S., Mexico and Turkey with expansion initiatives underway in China and Nicaragua."

Expanding to China? That might signal the end of Cone in the U.S..

[schlitzamen]

Almost all textile manufacturers in NC have moved operations to another country.

Culp Mills, Wespoint Stevens, VF Corp, Hanes, etc

[Paul T]

I don't like the sound of this...

From the Cone website:

"Cone Denim â„¢

Established in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1891 by brothers Moses and Ceasar Cone, Cone Denim has been a leading supplier of fabric to top denim apparel brands for over 100 years. Throughout the century, Cone Denim has been synonymous with authenticity and innovation. Today, the same entrepreneurial spirit, expertise and advanced capability continues to service and inspire the global market. Cone Denim currently operates in the U.S., Mexico and Turkey with expansion initiatives underway in China and Nicaragua."

When tat was planned it was more about expansion than rentrenchment (so many jeans are now made in Japan it makes sense to supply denim there). - altho they are going through hard times, like all US textile manufacturers and have just cut around 150 jobs.

[fardin]

wow paul great.

will be interesting to read more about it, and mor pics please, look great.

wich music story, for moo again? or a new book?

[MikeV]

Could someone please tell me how LVC saddlemans fit? My hips, where I wear my jeans, are a 35, so should I go with the 36?

[horriblyjollyjinx]

'made in us' has only numismatic value. personally i cant stand nationalism nor 'american jobs' at all.

[schlitzamen]

I like knowing if my jeans come from a company that operated just 2 miles from here before closing up. Like doing business with a neighbor who moved away.

[Case]

Could someone please tell me how LVC saddlemans fit? My hips, where I wear my jeans, are a 35, so should I go with the 36?

Yeah, size up at least one on the saddlemans.

[MikeV]

So the waist is smaller than the tagged size? So would the 36 have around a 34-35 waist?

[erk]

'made in us' has only numismatic value. personally i cant stand nationalism nor 'american jobs' at all.

"made in the us" has a lot of value for Americans, and especially for people like me. Production in the united states is rapidly dwindling and there are fewer and fewer companies that hold onto their traditional roots and fewer and fewer jobs for people to work. So LVC and cone denim being made in the united states means a lot to me. Not only as a citizen of the united states but as a North Carolinian. I think it has less to do with nationalism and more to do with preservation and economics. Furthermore I will always support "american jobs" before I support any other.

[electrum]

"made in the us" has a lot of value for Americans, and especially for people like me. Production in the united states is rapidly dwindling and there are fewer and fewer companies that hold onto their traditional roots and fewer and fewer jobs for people to work. So LVC and cone denim being made in the united states means a lot to me. Not only as a citizen of the united states but as a North Carolinian. I think it has less to do with nationalism and more to do with preservation and economics. Furthermore I will always support "american jobs" before I support any other.

Made-in-the-USA does not always mean high quality and value. It's no secret that American made technology, aerospace and industrial manufacturing is top dog -- second to none. However, for the past 30 yrs (with a few exceptions) American made consumer goods in textile and automotive industries is low quality and high price. Powerful and corrupt labor unions here in the states and better educated work force abroad are some of the causes for what you address. Levi's LVC products are fine examples of a poor quality American made product being sold at a very high price (LVC Asia are even worse, which indicates the problem has more to do w/Levi's cutting corners rather than where they're made). Anyway, aside from my own personal bad experience with LVC, anyone can search this forum and find dozens of photos of LVC jeans posted by the proud owners with rips and holes after 6mo.'s to a year of use -- I get more hard mileage from a pair of inexpensive Mexican made 501's for $200-$1000 less! I just don't understand how anyone can pay such a high premium for something that is so inferior just because it's loosely based on an old design, has "selvage", carries a leather patch and is made in the USA by the Levi name? Most Americans do not care where a product is made as long as it's top quality at a fair price -- Levi's comes up way short on quality and value w/their LVC products.

[poly800rock]

let's not feed a fire here guys, let's just talk about levis

[erbs]

let's not feed a fire here guys, let's just talk about levis

Do you have fit pics of your '47s poly?

[Paul T]

Incidentally, I picked up the last of the decent-sized LVC 47 in the Levi's store on Collins, in Miami. $51 for a 32/34. Way too cheap.

One things for sure about US-made LVC, is people will miss them if they go and the price will shot up.

Incidentally, eletrum, the jeans you were complaing about, which from memory were the 1873 and the 1901, both use fabric from Kurabo, in Japan. If they fall apart too soon so will you Evisu, or whataver.

[salaami]

here's what i want to know Paul: how long did the avg. pair of jeans last the ole' miners back in the goldrush days? and did they usually wear the exact same pair everyday to work? cause we love to abuse our jeans for months on end without wash, and then complain that they are not worth the money. paul, as far as i know youre the resident levi x-pert, so would you say that LVC is comparable, not-as-good, or better than other jeans @the same price-point, all things considered?

[poly800rock]

Do you have fit pics of your '47s poly?

i love it, need to take it into LA to get chainstitched/hemmed, but it's apparant to me now why every japanese company uses the 47 as their baseline cut

[Paul T]

would you say that LVC is comparable, not-as-good, or better than other jeans @the same price-point, all things considered?

That's a complicated question, and a personal one, too. It's been addressed here many times, but I believe that the best LVC is probably the best value-for-money jean out there. They retail in the US for around $180, which is significantly less than other brands. I don't know how much the Earnest Sewn jeans that use Cone denim retail for but I imagine it's considerably more than that. However, if you're in Japan, then brands like Edwin/Lee and Sugar Cane are just as good if not better in terms of value for money . Then of course Uniqlo are excellent value or money too - but if you're going to spend six months wearing a jean in, I think $180 or so is about the right price point. For me, anyway.

I am a fan of Samurai and SUgar Cane, I don't have experience of wearing other Japanese brands besides Evisu, but both of those are great jeans. I would dearly like some Warehouse and Real McCoy as well. THe LVC line is just as creative, though, especially when you look at the shirts, or the 200 and 300 jeans they produce, fantastic items on which I would think Levi's must make a loss.

Of course there have been LVC fuckups, as addressed many times on this thread. The same applies to other brands though, for instance the Edwin and Real McCoy Lee copies are perhaps even more inconsistent with sizing than LVC.

AS for wear, the LVC seem tough to me, although the 47 is prone to crotch blowouts, I guess because it's worn tighter than the others.

Oh yes, one last thing in all of this. The people I've dealt with at Levi's, and their UK PRs, are really nice people, who are also into other brands. (the same might not be true of their lawyers). The same applies to the people at COne. THey're not into this to make a stack of money, they'er into it because they're obsessed with denim. More on this later. It's also worth observing that just abouot ALL high end denim manufacturers are having a hard time of it, right now, Japanese and American

[lenn]

Guys, i need a little bit of help here. I can get a hold of a pair which a buyer describes as authentic vintage 501s (from the era of 47-52) but now that he sent me some pics i'm not sure they are authentic at all. It's a single sided Big E tab, but i believe there isn't supposed to be an ® , right? Doesn't this indicate a repro? And also, the tag says 555 and 47501. Help me out on this one... i consulted several resources and they tell different things...

[cash]

^ 555 and 47501 is LVC not originals.

[salaami]

More on this later.

very hopefully so...

[Paul T]

Just for reference, I recently washed my 20s 201, 47 501 and 55 501 (they\re pictured in that order).

I think almostnice is correct, in that the fabric on the recent 47 doesn't wear in as nicely as the previous ones... it's less blue, so the wear doesn't come thru as strongly. I'm still pretty happy with them though, which is just as well, as I now have two more pairs sitting under the bed. Er, plus another new 55 and the 201s. And, er, the 1896, which have been worn for perhaps a couple of weeks.

Lastly, here's something I brought back from Cone. I was all choked up when they gave me it.

[almostnice]

Great pics,Paul. Could you explain the last one please?

[rnrswitch]

Not to get off topic, but nice hardwood floor Paul. Did you buy the hardwood predistressed (handscraped/aged) or are those original hardwood floors? Uhh am I the only one treating hardwood flooring like my denim?

[george.white]

Not to get off topic, but nice hardwood floor Paul. Did you buy the hardwood predistressed (handscraped/aged) or are those original hardwood floors? Uhh am I the only one treating hardwood flooring like my denim?

I believe that is a shuttle from one of the mills looms.

[Paul T]

wow how do u get so many jeans Paul T

Well, a few of them were given to me by Levi's when I did odd bits of work for them. As for the others... well, remember in The SImpsons where Homer is in the land of free chocolate, and he looks in a store and goes, "mmmm, half-price chocolate..."

Great pics,Paul. Could you explain the last one please?

It is a shuttle from one of Cone's old Draper looms, hence was used to make denim for Levi's, Lee and others.

Not to get off topic, but nice hardwood floor Paul. Did you buy the hardwood predistressed (handscraped/aged) or are those original hardwood floors? Uhh am I the only one treating hardwood flooring like my denim?

Thanks! No you'r enot the only one... in this case, these are the original 9 inch boards in our 1828 house. Half of them were rotten, my dad and I took them up and relaid them, and refloored the other half of the room with columbian pine sawn from old Victorian beams, which I had to age and distress. THose boards, the best ones, have the original surface, I cleaned them with steel wool and a special fluid which dissolved every pair of protective gloves I used, then varnished with bleached shellac. I'm glad you appreciate them, I can't remember anyone who comes to our house ever commenting on them!