Since 1873
The original blue jean.
On May 20, 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis were granted U.S. patent 139,121 for riveted work pants. That patent invented the blue jean — and we've been wearing them ever since.
Made to be lived in
From the gold-rush miners of California to musicians, workers and dreamers everywhere, Levi's® jeans have shown up on every kind of person doing every kind of thing. That's the point. They're not costumes — they're clothes.
Built on trust
The Two Horse® patch has been on the back of every pair of 501® jeans since 1886 — a promise that even two horses pulling in opposite directions couldn't rip them apart. Quality still isn't optional.
A short timeline
- 1853Levi Strauss opens a dry-goods business in San Francisco.
- 1873The riveted blue jean is patented with Jacob Davis.
- 1886The Two Horse® leather patch is introduced.
- 1936The Red Tab® is stitched onto a back pocket for the first time.
- 1960sLevi's® becomes the uniform of youth culture, protest and rock and roll.
- TodayStill originals. Now in Pakistan, in your size.