Origin of Jeans

 We all wear them, and they’ve become an essential part of life. I don’t think that there’s one closet that doesn’t have them in it. 

Skinny, mom, boyfriend, high rise, low waist we’ve all worn at least one of these types of jeans. But have you been curious just like me and wondered where they came from?

Well today we’re going to talk about just that! 

It starts way back in 1853 when Levis Strauss came to New York from Germany to help with the family business where he sold cotton corduroy, either called jean or jeane named after Genoa in Italy, the place where it was manufactured. Among his set of customers were Jacob W. Davis, a tailor from Reno. When one of Reno’s clients ordered a pair of sturdy pants that could withstand hard work, he made it from the material that he bought from Levis Strauss and Co. To make them even stronger he placed copper rivets at the places where the pants rip the most like the pockets and flies. When Davis wanted to patent them he immediately contacted Strauss and they became partners. And that is how jeans as we know them today were born. 

Making of Jeans 

Jeans are mostly made from the material called denim.This name came from the sturdy fabric Serge de Nîmes”, initially made in Nîmes, France, hence “de Nîmes'', which later came to be known as denim. It's still debated whether the word “denim” is an anglicized version of the French word. 

Trying to reproduce  the cotton corduroy which was made in Genoa, weavers of Nimes, through trial and error developed another twill fabric, dyed with indigo which later came to be known as denim. This material we know was and is highly durable and it was what was exactly required by the miners and other labourers. The addition of copper rivets like I mentioned earlier reinforced the pocket which would rip often. 

Even though today we love to style them in every which way, the need for these initially arose when there was a greater and greater need for durable mens workwear and was exclusively used for its durability in order to use it to make pants and long sleeved shirts as well. 

Over the course of the decade there were improvements made in the design, Strauss added the signature Levi’s double arch orange stitching belt loops appeared in 1922; zippers replaced the button fly on some styles in 1954. The ending of Strauss and Davis’ patent gave the opportunity for other manufacturers to reproduce this style.OshKosh B’Gosh entered the market in 1895, Blue Bell (later Wrangler) in 1904 and Lee Mercantile in 1911.

As time passed by, Hollywood helped romanticise the use of jeans by putting them on rugged cowboys. During this time it was also fashionable to go to the western states for vacations and experience the life of a cowboy. Completely in awe of this lifestyle and obviously jeans being a part of it people of the eastern states who lived in suburbia, took the jeans back home with them. After photos of actresses were circulated wearing jeans, women too felt that it was meant for them as well. Jeans also then started to be worn as leisurewear that one could wear on weekends as well as on holidays.  

The jeans look was not limited  to just America, with WW2 at hand, soldiers stationed in Europe and Japan would wear jeans while off duty. 

In the 1950’s was associated with the rebellious, anti-establishment youth, and with schools banning them only further enhanced his status. 

Over the decades jeans have become an essential in each and every wardrobe. Who knew that a humble piece of clothing worn by miners would make fashion statements all over the world, even high end brands have sent them down runways. Being available at either end of the price spectrum and in every style there is truly something for everyone.

Yours 

Neeve 

References 

https://sewport.com/learn/denim-history

http://www.historyofjeans.com/

https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/article/vogue-encyclopaedia-the-history-of-denim-jeans