From the Wild West to the Runway, Levi’s 501s are Still the GOAT

501s are Forever 🌹

The flagship model in the prodigious Levi’s catalogue, the 501 is an American masterpiece. Dating all the way back to 1873, the jeans were originally adopted en-mass by ranchers, cowboys, miners and outlaws, quickly becoming a sartorial lynchpin of the Wild West.

In the mid-20th century, Levi’s struck gold – and subsequently attracted broader appeal – when their jeans were immortalised on the silver screen by Hollywood heartthrobs like Marlon Brando and James Dean. Culturally fuelled by a romantic mythology of the American west, the Levi’s 501 found a home in various sub-subcultures, from circuit-breaking punk bands like the Ramones in the 1970s to hip hop royalty and style stalwarts like Run-D.M.C. in the 1980s.

Now a stylistic staple in wardrobes across the globe, we thought it was time to celebrate the progenitor of all modern jeans: the Levi’s 501.

Levi Strauss & Co.
Founded in 1853, Levi Strauss & Co. was originally set-up by German immigrant Levi Strauss, who had moved from Bavaria to San Francisco. Operating the West Coast branch of his brother’s dry goods store, Strauss connected with Nevada tailor Jacob Davis to file a patent for the first riveted denim waist overalls – later known as the Levi’s 501.

A product of the late 1800s, the Levi’s 501 was originally manufactured as workwear in its purest form, a far cry from the way that term is often applied in contemporary fashion. The 501 was built for the throngs of workers all searching for their fortune in one way or another – miners, ranchers and cowboys all adopted denim for the unforgiving conditions of America’s Wild West.

Combining premium denim and patented copper rivet reinforcements, the ultra-durable 501 would become a flagship model for Levi’s in the next century, particularly during the cultural revolution in America during the 1950s and 1960s.

Images with thanks to Getty Images

The Hollywood Archetype
The mythology of the American frontier is central to the staying power of Levi’s. Empowered by films like Rebel Without a Cause and The Wild One, Hollywood cinema in the 1950s extended the American folklore that was a key element in Levi’s founding story. These films captured the imagination of the post-war generation, and the jeans worn by the main characters came to embody the shifting social and sartorial attitudes of the era. A revolt against the more conservative forms of dress favoured by the stereotypical nuclear family of that era, people looked to their Hollywood outlaws and cowboy archetypes for direction.

Representing much more than just workwear, models like the Levi’s 501 soon flowered in sub-cultures across the globe, from skinheads to greasers, and hip hop royalty to punk rock trailblazers.

The 501 became synonymous with the sprawling sub-culture narratives that were unified by the same overarching theme: rebellion.

501s Forever
Recently linking up with the likes of Japanese designer Junya Watanabe, the Jordan Brand, Comme des Garçons, and other streetwear stalwarts, the Levi’s brand continues to remain a hot commodity in the world of high fashion, sneakers and streetwear.

Travelling from American ranches in the 1870s to the runways of Paris in the 21st century, the ultra-durable, and undeniably ubiquitous, 501s have remained in-tact and deeply revered.

Need to scout another pair of 501s for your next expedition?

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