Levi’s Stitches ‘Greatest Story Ever Worn’ For 501 Jeans’ 150th Anniversary
By Nicole Rodrigues, 03 Feb 2023
Levi’s is celebrating 150 years of the iconic 501 jeans by telling stories from its fans and how the clothing has impacted their lives in a campaign called The Greatest Story Ever Worn.
The idea for the jeans was first brought to Levi Strauss by Jacob Davis. Davis had taken his idea of putting copper rivets onto canvas trousers to Strauss, where they both began to work incorporating the design into denim and duck canvas. It was patented in 1873 and thus birthed the 501 jeans.
Since then, the brand has become a mainstay in the fashion, technical, and streetwear spheres. In addition, it has seeped into pop culture and earned the spot as one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
With that comes a dedicated fan base of die-hard 501 wearers and their tales. The company has highlighted 13 stories inspired by true events from people worldwide. Through a partnership with creative agency Droga5, it has expressed them through different activations, including film, social media, prints, and events. From there spawned three short films directed by Melina Matsoukas and Martin De Thurah.
The first of the campaign spots, Precious Cargo, tells the story of how the jeans landed in Kingston, Jamaica, and how the culture’s rhythm and soul turned the 501s into something that became special to them.
The following story, Fair Exchange, takes place in Georgia, where a young boy has traded his family cow for a pair of 501s. The film dives into how clothing can also represent a bigger dream held onto by some folks.
Legends Never Die is a somber tale of how one fan wanted to be buried in his Levi’s jeans. Over the years, Levi’s has had many come forward and state how they could die in their 501s, and many have gone through with their word. However, in the video, we can see how this man took it one step further and requested all attendees wear their pair to his funeral.
Within these films, Levi’s captures how the 501s is a unifying cultural piece that has connected people in their special moments no matter where they were in the world.
[via LBB Online and Hypebeast, images via Levi’s]