LEVI'S: Blue Jean Kings - Revision history

Ccarlsson: swapped in better photo from getty collection

2025-01-10T06:49:36Z

swapped in better photo from getty collection

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:49, 9 January 2025
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	When people around the world think of blue jeans, they often think about the San Francisco firm that started it all: Levi Strauss & Co.		When people around the world think of blue jeans, they often think about the San Francisco firm that started it all: Levi Strauss & Co.

	This global phenomenon has very humble beginnings. In 1853, a Bavarian immigrant named Levi Strauss ~~travelled~~ from America's East Coast, where he had learned the dry goods trade, to San Francisco, there to open a wholesale dry goods business with his brother-in-law, David Stern. According to the story, he created a sturdy pair of miners' pants from some canvas-like material he brought with ~~him -- the~~ genesis of the first jeans. The denim cloth derived its name from the French town of Nimes from which it came originally, hence its name "de Nimes" or as it became Americanized, "denim."		This global phenomenon has very humble beginnings. In 1853, a Bavarian immigrant named Levi Strauss traveled from America's East Coast, where he had learned the dry goods trade, to San Francisco, there to open a wholesale dry goods business with his brother-in-law, David Stern. According to the story, he created a sturdy pair of miners' pants from some canvas-like material he brought with him—the genesis of the first jeans. The denim cloth derived its name from the French town of Nimes from which it came originally, hence its name "de Nimes" or as it became Americanized, "denim."

	[[Image:~~rulclas1$levi~~-~~strauss~~-co-on-~~battery~~.jpg]]		[[Image:Levi-Strauss-foto-IW-Taber-1880 Getty.jpg]]

	'''Levi Strauss and Company~~; group photo~~ at 14-16 Battery Street, ~~between 1872 and 1906~~.'''		'''Levi Strauss and Company at 14-16 Battery Street, apx. 1880.'''

			''Photo: I.W. Taber, courtesy Getty Collection''

	By 1872 Levi was a prosperous merchant, with headquarters and showroom at 14-16 Battery Street. In that year, he got a letter from a customer of his, a Nevada tailor named Jacob Davis, who regularly purchased bolts of cloth from Levi Strauss & Co. Davis had come up with a novel way of strengthening the pants he was making for his customers: he put metal rivets in pocket corners and at the base of the button fly. He wanted to patent the idea, but didn't have the money to get the paperwork through, so he suggested that he and Levi patent the process together. Strauss knew a good opportunity when he saw it, and in 1873 both gentlemen were named in the patent. Levi opened the first San Francisco manufacturing facility that same year, on Fremont Street, and they soon began to make the "copper riveted clothing" that was to make them famous.		By 1872 Levi was a prosperous merchant, with headquarters and showroom at 14-16 Battery Street. In that year, he got a letter from a customer of his, a Nevada tailor named Jacob Davis, who regularly purchased bolts of cloth from Levi Strauss & Co. Davis had come up with a novel way of strengthening the pants he was making for his customers: he put metal rivets in pocket corners and at the base of the button fly. He wanted to patent the idea, but didn't have the money to get the paperwork through, so he suggested that he and Levi patent the process together. Strauss knew a good opportunity when he saw it, and in 1873 both gentlemen were named in the patent. Levi opened the first San Francisco manufacturing facility that same year, on Fremont Street, and they soon began to make the "copper riveted clothing" that was to make them famous.

Ccarlsson: added Max Kirkeberg photo

2022-03-25T21:07:39Z

added Max Kirkeberg photo

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:07, 25 March 2022
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	'''The old Levi Strauss factory on Valencia near 14th Street in the North Mission. The radical La Raza newspaper [[Basta Ya Excerpts \| Basta Ya!]] ran a piece describing conditions in the late 1960s.'''		'''The old Levi Strauss factory on Valencia near 14th Street in the North Mission. The radical La Raza newspaper [[Basta Ya Excerpts \| Basta Ya!]] ran a piece describing conditions in the late 1960s.'''

	''photo: Chris Carlsson''		''photo: Chris Carlsson, 1997''

	<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/OscarGrandeLevis" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>		<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/OscarGrandeLevis" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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	Levi's continues to cling to its San Francisco roots; [[Levi's Plaza\|Levi's Plaza]], the company's World Headquarters, is located on Battery Street near the waterfront, a location for which Levi himself would have given hearty approval. Levi's also owns the Icehouse, a block away, and has been diligent in its efforts to retain the building's character while creating office space for employees.		Levi's continues to cling to its San Francisco roots; [[Levi's Plaza\|Levi's Plaza]], the company's World Headquarters, is located on Battery Street near the waterfront, a location for which Levi himself would have given hearty approval. Levi's also owns the Icehouse, a block away, and has been diligent in its efforts to retain the building's character while creating office space for employees.

	''~~--Chris~~ Carlsson (with thanks to Charles Fracchia)''		''—Chris Carlsson (with thanks to Charles Fracchia)''

			[[Image:Levis building 250 Valencia 1983 1478278.750x.png]]

			'''Levi's Building in 1983.'''

			''Photo: Max Kirkeberg Collection, available at diva.sfsu.edu''

	[[BASTA YA! April 1970 Letters from the Boss--Cartas del Dueño 1960s Conditions \| 1970s Levi's Garment Workers conditions in Basta Ya!]]		[[BASTA YA! April 1970 Letters from the Boss--Cartas del Dueño 1960s Conditions \| 1970s Levi's Garment Workers conditions in Basta Ya!]]
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	[[LEVI's, Too?!? \| 1990s Protest on Levi's front door]]		[[LEVI's, Too?!? \| 1990s Protest on Levi's front door]]

	[[The Octopus and the Big Four\|Prev. ~~Documen~~]] [[The Bohemian Oligarchy\|Next Document]]		[[The Octopus and the Big Four\|Prev. Document]] [[The Bohemian Oligarchy\|Next Document]]

	[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:Excelsior]] [[category:1960s]]		[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:Excelsior]] [[category:1960s]]

Ccarlsson at 01:47, 25 May 2017

2017-05-25T01:47:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:47, 24 May 2017
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	[[The Octopus and the Big Four\|Prev. Documen]] [[The Bohemian Oligarchy\|Next Document]]		[[The Octopus and the Big Four\|Prev. Documen]] [[The Bohemian Oligarchy\|Next Document]]

	[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:1960s]]		[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:Excelsior]] [[category:1960s]]
	[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]		[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]
	[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]		[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]
	[[category:1980s]][[category:1990s]]		[[category:1980s]][[category:1990s]]

Ccarlsson: added Oscar Grande video on Levi's

2017-05-25T01:47:01Z

added Oscar Grande video on Levi's

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:47, 24 May 2017
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	''photo: Chris Carlsson''		''photo: Chris Carlsson''

			<iframe src="https://archive.org/embed/OscarGrandeLevis" width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" allowfullscreen></iframe>

			'''Oscar Grande, longtime organizer at PODER, describes how his mother, a Salvadoran immigrant, worked at Levi's on Valencia for decades.'''

			''Video: Shaping San Francisco, 2011''

	When people around the world think of blue jeans, they often think about the San Francisco firm that started it all: Levi Strauss & Co.		When people around the world think of blue jeans, they often think about the San Francisco firm that started it all: Levi Strauss & Co.

Ccarlsson: added link to Levi's Plaza

2012-12-19T19:40:36Z

added link to Levi's Plaza

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:40, 19 December 2012
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	Walter Haas, Jr. was named President in 1958, and his brother Peter took over the position in 1970. This next generation oversaw the construction of domestic plants all over the South, taking advantage of the non-union climate that had been ensured by widespread violence and union-busting during the Depression. They started what is today the enormously huge division known as Levi Strauss International. In 1981 Bob Grohman, the only non-family member to serve as President, assumed his duties. Then, in 1984, after having worked his way through the company since his first day in 1973, Walter Haas, Jr.'s son Robert took over as President and CEO, continuing the family tradition: he is Levi Strauss' great-great-grand nephew.		Walter Haas, Jr. was named President in 1958, and his brother Peter took over the position in 1970. This next generation oversaw the construction of domestic plants all over the South, taking advantage of the non-union climate that had been ensured by widespread violence and union-busting during the Depression. They started what is today the enormously huge division known as Levi Strauss International. In 1981 Bob Grohman, the only non-family member to serve as President, assumed his duties. Then, in 1984, after having worked his way through the company since his first day in 1973, Walter Haas, Jr.'s son Robert took over as President and CEO, continuing the family tradition: he is Levi Strauss' great-great-grand nephew.

	Levi's continues to cling to its San Francisco roots; Levi's Plaza, the company's World Headquarters, is located on Battery Street near the waterfront, a location for which Levi himself would have given hearty approval. Levi's also owns the Icehouse, a block away, and has been diligent in its efforts to retain the building's character while creating office space for employees.		Levi's continues to cling to its San Francisco roots; [[Levi's Plaza\|Levi's Plaza]], the company's World Headquarters, is located on Battery Street near the waterfront, a location for which Levi himself would have given hearty approval. Levi's also owns the Icehouse, a block away, and has been diligent in its efforts to retain the building's character while creating office space for employees.

	''--Chris Carlsson (with thanks to Charles Fracchia)''		''--Chris Carlsson (with thanks to Charles Fracchia)''

Ccarlsson: Protected "LEVI'S: Blue Jean Kings": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

2009-01-17T08:03:57Z

Protected "LEVI'S: Blue Jean Kings": finished essay [edit=sysop:move=sysop]

← Older revision	Revision as of 01:03, 17 January 2009
(No difference)

Ccarlsson: PC and protected

2009-01-17T08:03:44Z

PC and protected

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:03, 17 January 2009
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			'''<font face = Papyrus> <font color = maroon> <font size = 4>Historical Essay</font></font> </font>'''

			''by Chris Carlsson''

	[[Image:rulclas1$levis-valencia.jpg]]		[[Image:rulclas1$levis-valencia.jpg]]

Ccarlsson: prev and next

2008-08-24T22:31:39Z

prev and next

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:31, 24 August 2008
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	[[LEVI's, Too?!? \| 1990s Protest on Levi's front door]]		[[LEVI's, Too?!? \| 1990s Protest on Levi's front door]]

			[[The Octopus and the Big Four\|Prev. Documen]] [[The Bohemian Oligarchy\|Next Document]]

	[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:1960s]]		[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:1960s]]

Ccarlsson at 22:30, 24 August 2008

2008-08-24T22:30:27Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:30, 24 August 2008
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	[[category:Power and Money]][[category:~~Business~~]][[category:Mission]][[category:~~Rich~~]][[category:1960s]]		[[category:Power and Money]][[category:Corporations]][[category:Mission]][[category:Jewish]][[category:1960s]]
	[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]		[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]
	[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]		[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]
	[[category:1980s]][[category:1990s]]		[[category:1980s]][[category:1990s]]

Ccarlsson at 07:11, 23 July 2008

2008-07-23T07:11:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:11, 23 July 2008
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	[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]		[[category:1850s]][[category:1870s]]
	[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]		[[category:1880s]][[category:1890s]][[category:1900s]][[category:1920s]][[category:1950s]][[category:1960s]][[category:1970s]]
	[[category:1980s]][[category:~~19990s~~]]		[[category:1980s]][[category:1990s]]