Levi's takes on Japanese Denim Resellers and Manufacturers

[thelion1856]

okay good news you guys gordon just called me and said yes orders till tonight i believe. i ordered a pair of Oni blue blue denim and a pair of samurai 30000VX. so as long as you get your order in so he can ship tommorow.

[cultpop 0217]

the black arm just nailed it.

they could've handled it with some respect and class befitting the "legacy and heritage" they seem so concerned about.

[poly800rock]

okay good news you guys gordon just called me and said yes orders till tonight i believe. i ordered a pair of Oni blue blue denim and a pair of samurai 30000VX. so as long as you get your order in so he can ship tommorow.

love how he JUST called you. man is DEDICATED!

[Astérix]

So who is gonna order shit in the wee hours of the night? They have some nice SDA's left on the BiG webshop.

[drapygo]

Oh shi-, I was digging through my closet and I discovered I have a pair of Levi's skinner premium... rarely worn, going to go sell tomorrow! lol, cleaning out closet.

[BTT]

Tommorow is going to be Burn Your Levis Day.

I'll take pics and burn it halfway and see if it's still wearable

[drapygo]

Hahahaha, good shit, but I (or my dad) paid 80 dollars for these, got to get some money out of it!

[thelion1856]

yeah i think i will burn my levis tommorow. someone wil make a burn your levis thread somewhere. Also BIG is doing online orders still. they got a huge selection of samurai's right now. all their canes are already sold out.

As long as you get your order in before he ships out tommorow then your all legal.

i feel sorry for those SF'ers who didnt log on today. There is only 25 hours left till doomsday.

[chronoaug]

Levis could've been cool about all of this but they really didn't need to. Homage, respect towards levis jeans is still infringement. I understand and think it's cool that the japanese companies cleverly play with levis details. I loved the pigs and the green/blue pocket tabs, etc... But it's not like levis isn't completely in the right here. Sure they're being big bad capitalist meanies, but it's perfectly understandable and not even that wrong. It's mean to go after SE, BiG, etc.... but hey, it's the best way to stop all the sales. If levis didn't come down on any retailers at all and didn't address them, than kiya and gordon might consider selling stuff still if they can get them, because we'd all buy them. Now they're too scared to do stuff like that in fear of more law action. It's a mean but smart move.

LVC isn't that great anymore, but if we're making random assumptions and claiming them as fact to attack levis, why can't i say that LVC isn't doing that well because they have little incentive to use superhigh quality denim and details when the japanese brands already cornered the market lately. Also since the japanese are some of the biggest buyers of this stuff. Maybe levis thinks that the love of japanese denim is more than levis repros(which is pretty much 100% true if you spend 1 hour on this site). Levis can't really compete with the japanese brands anymore. Why not take em' out? It was cool that the japanese brands payed tribute to the denim god that is levis in the beginning but they really should've went on their marry way desinging their own stuff a long time ago, maybe releasing special edition levis celebration repros every levis anniversery or something. They knew what they were doing after they started making money from it. I dont' think any of them are suprised or really that upset about it since they pretty much had it coming.

That being said, i still think it sucks and wish that levis would just leave em' alone because it's not that big a deal compared to how much money they're making. It's like starbucks increasing their coffees something like 5-10cents recently. Did starbucks really need that extra revenue(i don't know the coffee bean situation so don't tell me). I like the japanese denim because of the exclusive factor. Even if LVC was as good, i'd buy sammies or sda or 45rpm, etc.... The no tab between fabrics on backs of jeans thing is pretty retarded though. I didn't even know that was a levis thing. It just seems like more a common sense thing. Is gucci or other bigger name brands going to take this lying down since i think they have a pocket tab and aren't levis repros obviously? Oh well.

Dear god i hope the japanese companies leave the pockets blank or put something super super subtle. I swear, if i see dragons and shit i'm gonna be pissed. I don't even want to see something diesel/7fam level of design. At least the levis design was pretty lowkey even though i could do without it. I did think the flathead and other plays on the design were funny though, almost mocking, but cool.

[Franklin]

^im pretty sure the japanese companies named are gonna be able to pull thru this. if they were able to do this great, surpasing the quality that LVC has put out,then i doubt they will resort to those kind of designs.

[zelah]

so are cuts going to change?

[shekki]

damn this sux. is this finalized? or when will the verdict be made

[chronoaug]

i was half-joking. I doubt they'll do something like dragons, but am a bit worried i'll see too much pocket design for my liking. And if there were dragons, i might explode still. Unless the dragons were somehow selvage. I don't know then, i'll get back to you.

[Dex_star]

i just ordered another pair from big

oni blue

this may be the best marketing plan ever

[GoodHustle]

based upon kiya's original post, only the tabs, arcuates and leather patches are being removed. so for now, everything else will probably stay the same, and we will still be getting great, quality products.

[kiya]

ok.. My head is going to fucking blow..

here's a few things..

-cuts will NOT have to change, this has nothing to do with cuts, read my original post if you think that the cuts will have to be altered

-Any further questions regarding what can and what can NOT sold MUST be directed to Self Edge's main phone number which is 415-558-0658

-when calling Self Edge please ask if the pair you want is in stock and available for shipping, at that point we'll know if we can ship them to you. there are certain items which have been removed from our stock for good, and there are certain items that are questionable and we're waiting to hear from the lawyers and are still selling via phone orders.

-please do not fight over this, the entire situation makes us all at Self Edge very uneasy, and the last thing we need is this entire community worldwide to be bickering over boycotts, petitions, anti-levi's t-shirts, etc.. i will say this again, levi's is in the right. the lawyers are seeing that we're cooperating and they're working with us to resolve this issue. keep in mind that this might all take quite some time, and there might be a denim shortage from a few labels for a four week long period, and maybe longer if they decide to fight it in Japan.

-stick with us, i've been following this industry for many years and i can truly say that this is merely another chapter in the progess of denim design and manufacturing. it's going to be nice to see what the japanese companies are coming up with next.

-many of the companies named in the lawsuit have already sent me mock-up drawings of ideas of labels, stitchings, etc.. i have mixed feelings, but i guarantee what ever they come up with will be classic, timeless, and fit the persona of the designer. they take our opinions to heart, so you can know that we're not going to be behind any terrible outlandish stitchings. which by the way, nobody has yet to submit anything that's made me want to gag... you should have no worries...

Denim Por Vida,

Kiya

[quid]

im sort of supprised by this whole thing. i know a copyright attorney, and he explained to me a while back that the rule of thumb with copyright infringement is if youre confused about what youre buying then its probably bad.

but no one confuses a pair of sugarcane with a pair of 501.... so i dont get it.

oh well, life goes on as they say.

[ayn]

Just placed an order at the BiG website for a pair of Oni Blues, hopefully he will ship them out to me. They don't have the BKs left and they don't have Fullcounts left in my size. I am considering getting them from Japan and take my chances at customs.

Kiya: Thanks for the clarifications. I'm gonna stop by your store this Saturday regardless, I need to give those jeans for your web store back to you anyway... I will check out the pairs you put aside for me, thanks a lot for doing that. I'll give you a call before I head out to make sure you'll be there.

--Andrew

[BTT]

Just placed an order at the BiG website for a pair of Oni Blues, hopefully he will ship them out to me. They don't have the BKs left and they don't have Fullcounts left in my size. I am considering getting them from Japan and take my chances at customs.

Not to scare you Ayn, but if you do get caught through customs, then you will be blacklisted. My parents work with customs a lot because they're exporters/importers so they know the downlo.

[super]

The thing is the guys at customs might not even know of the recent court ordering and the chances of them inspecting your package isn't too high.

[ayn]

do they like scan all addresses with some kindda OCR software or something? if I were blacklisted how are they gonna pick out my packages in the future?

my folks have a jewelry business and they import a shit load of stuff from Hong Kong, but I don't talk to them about how things go down in customs... Will do when I talk to them next...

[Neilfuji]

The Japanese business is in shock after the Evis/Evisu tax thing the government in Japan is getting hard on the denim business and this is going to rock it all to the core, with a new PM there who’s very USA friendly and the small amount of tax revenue that the small companies bring in. we have little to no support, there will be a few smaller companies closing there doors over this, and a lot more restriction place on the business, my guess would be one big company will be made an example of too

That doesn't really play into it in certain instances. Alot of the denim consignment stores, etc. in Japan may not officially be on any distribution lists for the major Japanese denim brands involved. They will pretend they haven't heard anything until Levi's actually comes knocking on their door, which in several cases, I am sure could be never.

[BTT]

do they like scan all addresses with some kindda OCR software or something? if I were blacklisted how are they gonna pick out my packages in the future?

my folks have a jewelry business and they import a shit load of stuff from Hong Kong, but I don't talk to them about how things go down in customs... Will do when I talk to them next...

Well this is how it works...I think...from what my folks tell me...

If you are caught trying to bringing in any restricted items such as fruits, meat, weapons, fireworks, DENIM, not declaring items, then the customs will record your name in a database, where, whenever you travel regardless international or domestic, they will do one of those more detailed checks (open luggage, frisk through, etc) It'll be a hassle for awhile, they stop after the 4-6th time you travel and might slap you a small fine.

And if you are blacklisted by the customs when you buy through the internet, such as shipping to your place, then shipping will be delayed couple days, so if you ordered a book online, instead of a regular 3-5 days, it might take 5-7 days.

Yeah.

[ayn]

then it's definitely fucking worth the risk... I still don't understand how they pick out my packages... plus, I ship shit to my office, not my home address...

[Superstar]

will SelfEdge be able to ship worldwide ?

[Blackplatano]

Man, i doubt bringing a pair of jeans is the same as 20 kilos of coke.

We are assuming the general public actually gives a fuck. What percentage of the population actually know the brands talked about in the forum? .00000009?

The truth is customs won't be informed of this and won't care. What's more important, finding terrorist or denim bootleggers?

Also

The only problem i see with this Levi's situation is what might happen to the retailers.

The companies are truly better off.

For one, i can understand how the Levi's tab and arcuate might actually have being holding BACK the former repros. AFterall, Im sure A LOT of people wouldn't like anybody mistaking their new samurais for $35 STFs.

Since all the repro companies copied the same shit, they all look essentially the same. Now, those companies can stand on their own and built their own identities. We might even get to see some originality. :eek:

Who knows, maybe in 50 years sugarcane can file it's own lawsuits.

Right now, those companies have alot of work to do.

P.S look what happened to Evisu.

[lilldavid]

I dont really understand what all the crying is about. We will still be able to get the same high qualities and the same cuts of Japanese jeans, just minus all the bling (or at least all the bling as we know it now). Plus I dont think you really, really truly love Denim if you don't care at all for Levis..

Levis were first, They put redtabs on their jeans (and trademarked it) back in the 30's to distinguish themselves from all other brands that used arcuates as we all know, and later trademarked their style arcuate so of course, now, when these Japanese brands that use Levis's trademarks are moving in on Levis's main market (The US, even San Francisco for crying out loud) of course they've had enough.

Dont get me wrong, I LOVE Japanese denim, the look, the feel, everything about it. And I generally think big american global corporations such as Coca Cola and Levis are bad and exploiting and whatever but, as has been stated, Levis are in the right...

[Superstar]

Plus I dont think you really, really truly love Denim if you don't care at all for Levis..

i have never been a great levis fan myself, only once captured myself thinking of getting a pair of LVC's....

Levis were first, They put redtabs on their jeans (and trademarked it) back in the 30's to distinguish themselves from all other brands that used arcuates as we all know, and later trademarked their style arcuate so of course, now, when these Japanese brands that use Levis's trademarks are moving in on Levis's main market (The US, even San Francisco for crying out loud) of course they've had enough.

Dont get me wrong, I LOVE Japanese denim, the look, the feel, everything about it. But, as has been stated, Levis are in the right...

yes, they are in the right and we know... but it sucks anyway though....

[lilbucu]

this sucks. levi's DOES have the right though.

i think a point that some people are missing is that some people seem to think the the japanese companeis are "ripping off" levi's. i don't think this is true, those details like the arcuates and tabs and leather lables are just ways that the repro comapnaies pay homage and repect to levi's in a tongue in cheek kind of way. like someone said imatation is a form of flattery.

it sucks that the repro company's will have to change, but what sucks even more is that people are being sued for paying homage to levi's in their designs.

[Tenchi]

What exactly happened to evisu?...

And I bet Ande Whall is sleeping easy