Levi's celebrates the 150th anniversary of the 501, the pants that symbolized youth rebellion and counterculture

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Today no one conceives of a basic wardrobe without a good pair of jeans, as it is one of the most democratic and versatile garments that exist.

This is mainly due to the fact that it has known how to adapt to the times, by responding to the needs of each era... However, it was not always like that, as we discover when we look back, towards the

that revolves around

and especially the

Levi

which this year celebrates its

in top form, still a way of self-

and

Because that's what these jeans are about, breaking with the established.

What began in

like a patent for copper rivets for

it has become one of the most symbolic garments in our wardrobe.

In fact,

professor of Marketing at ISEM Fashion Business School, affirms that "the 501 is the only jean model that everyone knows the name of: it occupies the 'top of mind' for most consumers in the West ".

The beginning of an era.

Levi Strauss, the Amancio Ortega of the 19th century

It all started in 1851 with

a businessman of German origin, who emigrated to the US and founded a small textile company that was dedicated to providing cloth pants to miners.

However, it wasn't until

when Levi Strauss and

partnered, that the

This tailor informed the businessman that his trousers had a

crucial

from the hard work of the mine.

Faced with this problem, they began to include

in work pants and also patented the process, with which the brand was registered.

This is how the first riveted Levi's was officially born and the production of the most manufactured garment in history, the jean, began.

Despite the popularity they obtained at the beginning of the 20th century, the company's profits were low in 1918. After the death of Levi Strauss, it was his nephews,

who

Together with

their new head of manufacturing, they focused on improving the durability of the jeans and adapting to changing times.

So much so, that by 1925 sales of the 501 Originals had skyrocketed.

Five years later, in 1930, it became a staple of

working

In fact, its advertising began to evoke the romanticism that surrounded this era of cowboys and Indians.

They were the favorites of horsemen, and even 'Vogue' came to recommend that women, who went on vacation to ranches, wear them.

After

the Levi's 501 reached its peak of

and that is when the transition from work clothes to casual clothes took place.

They are adopted

artists

and above all,

teenagers

This is how a durable and utilitarian style is formed, and it is when this garment that comes from

becomes established as a key piece, but not to go to work, but as informal clothing for all types of audiences.

The impact of the Levis 501 in glamorous (and demure?) Hollywood

Throughout the 20th century, Hollywood stars began to be seen decked out in jeans and sometimes matching denim jackets as well.

a specialist in fashion culture, explains: "The pants will accompany the new great stars of Hollywood, who are also closely linked to youth."

This expert also assures that "through the cinema, that way of dressing enters the collective unconscious more, although in reality it reflects what happens on the street."

"It's like a big speaker for trends that were already out there," she adds.

On the other hand, there was a good caring/commercial relationship between the main jean brands of the time

and the big film production companies, like

and

who made sure that the actors appeared at some point wearing jeans.

A kind of 'product placement' of the time.

What marked the beginning of the relationship that these iconic pants established with Hollywood was the movie '

starring

It was released in

and it is a film belonging to the western genre that follows a group of strangers as they travel by stagecoach through the dangerous Apache territory.

In it you could see John Wayne clad in a Levis 501, marking a before and after in popular culture and in the world of fashion.

John Wayne in 'Stagecoach' Getty

But this was not the only occasion in which we could see how Hollywood stars wore a pair of these

Years later, in 1953,

in

(in Spain it would be titled 'Salvaje'), wore Levi's 501s with boots and a black leather jacket, this being the first time a 501 with five pockets.

In addition, the

(in Spain better known with the 'surname', much less bombastic, 'de churrero') was visible, instead of being used as underwear, something that was undoubtedly very transgressive for the time.

Thus, it became a countercultural fashion statement, since the film reproduced the aesthetics of the

one of the urban tribes of the

Marlon Brando in 'The Wild One' Getty

Two years later,

one of Hollywood's quintessential misfits, starred as Jim Stark, an undisciplined teenager who disobeys his parents and defies the local gang in

(1955).

The aesthetic was very similar to that of 'The Wild One', with common elements such as Levi's 501, which could not be missing in a film that reflected youthful nonconformity.

Poster 'Rebel without a cause' with James DeanGtres

Also iconic are the images of Marilyn Monroe in

from

in which she starred with

This was the last film she shot before her death a year after her death, and in it we could see the iconic actress wearing Levis 501s and a jean jacket in a

Marilyn Monroe in 'The Misfits'Getty

A symbol of youthful rebellion and, sometimes, even of social marginalization

By the

Levi's 501s had become a common fixture of

Not only were they welcomed by various urban tribes such as

mods

rockers

(DIY phenomenon) and

(who ripped them)

but they were also present in various social movements.

Like those that took place in the US in favor of equal civil rights for African-American groups, the protests for the Vietnam War and even the

in which values ​​and social forms opposed to those established were celebrated.

By this time the Levi's 501 was so associated with

and

that it was banned from wearing it in schools and other public places, endearing them even more to their fans.

However, they also began to be associated with

and the

, as if it were a symbol.

According to

"from the 1960s they became an absolutely transversal piece; it is one of the few that is transgender, socially transclass and trans-time".

They also impacted the world of music, leaving iconic images for the history of pop and rock.

First, in 1963 with

who wore a pair on the cover of his

or later, in 1986 with

in the music video

Madonna with some Levis 501Getty

In recent years they have been worn by all kinds of characters, from British royalty

to

to actresses

Their impact has been such that, in 1999, 'Time' magazine named them a

Lady Di with some Levis 501Getty

The different models of Levi's 501

According to the aforementioned

"Levis is an iconic brand and known for consumer confidence in it, its products are always of high quality, but at the same time they offer style and hundreds of models that fit all bodies. The 501 is one of their best-selling models, despite having undergone 40 small changes throughout its history."

Among the Levi's 501 we can find

that have been adapted over the years:

• Channeling early '90s skate

  culture

  through the original blue jean , the

  men

  's

  501 93' is a

  vintage fit.

• The

  501 Taper for men,

  vintage

  -inspired

  but with a more contemporary cut.

  They put a twist on the original

  jean

  , albeit slightly skinnier.

• The

  501 Crop

  for women, with the original straight cut but something more modern.

• The

  501 Skinny

  for women, which reinvents the original jean by narrowing it down.

• The

  501 90' for women,

  vintage

  -inspired

  with a looser leg.

  For the campaign, which took place last year, Levis chose Hailey Bieber as the protagonist, among other well-known characters, as she is currently a style icon.

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In addition, for the

Levi's introduces two new 501 models: the

and

the '54

narrower.

The latter, for men, feature the unmistakable 501 cut, but with a slimmer straight leg.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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