501s are the symbol of an era, or rather, the symbol of a certain frame of mind; they conquered the world like no piece before them. Both individual and universal, the 501 incarnates the ultimate expression of style. Pioneers of the contemporary world have found the perfect tool to venture off the beaten path each time they slip a pair on. The world’s first pair of jeans has conquered us, generation after generation, since 1873.
Close to 140 years later, 501s can boast of an essence that has remained unchanged, despite being reinvented in line with different fashions. Between their unique design, free spirit, and Shrink-To-Fit denim, the formula has remained the same. Now, the fall 2016 incarnation has brought the brand’s teams to reflect on how to make this icon evolve. The response was simple enough: by introducing an innovative fabric into the creation process, the designers have been able to bring out an exclusive pair of denim jeans equipped with the Shrink-To-Fit technology of the original, but this time with an added stretch fabric!
This fabric’s technology is today espousing Levi’s tradition “If you choose a pair of jeans, you won’t see that they’re made with stretch fabric, you’ll just see a pair of 501s. And that’s what matters. We wanted to make the technology invisible. But as soon as you put them on, you’ll feel the difference. It’s subtle but impossible to miss,” explains Jonathan Cheung, director of design for Levi’s. In fact, the original Shrink-To-Fit 501 denim possesses its own unique properties linked to its fabrication and the exclusive capacity that it has to espouse the shape of the body. By today introducing its own stretch fabric, Levi’s is meeting the challenge of obtaining an authentic denim to perpetuate the 501’s iconic aesthetic. This piece is sure to form the backbone of denim for years to come.
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