Page 32 - Journal of Antiques and Collectibles Januray 2020
P. 32
Levi Strauss: The Birth of an American Icon
L evi Strauss & Co., named for a Bavarian Jewish mortar home, located in the main Levi Strauss office
complex in San Francisco, and it also has a “virtual
dry goods merchant in San Francisco, obtained
vault” online comprised of thousands of images of
a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis for the
process of putting metal rivets in men’s denim
ephemera in the collection that date back to the
work pants to increase their durability. It was the denim garments, photographs, objects, and other
birth of the blue jean. From February 13 to founding of the company.
August 9, 2020, The Contemporary Jewish As we are coming up on their 150th
Museum (The CJM) in San Francisco presents anniversary of the birth of the blue jean (1873),
Levi Strauss: A History of American Style, an you can imagine that there is no shortage of
original exhibition showcasing the life of Levi material. We spent months doing research and
Strauss and the worldwide phenomenon of the visiting the archive in order to refine our
now-iconic blue jean. selections to be able to tell a riveting story worthy
Featuring over 150 items from the Levi Strauss of Strauss and his legacy.
& Co. Archives, including garments, advertisements, The exhibition is organized around three
photographs, and ephemera, The CJM’s exhibition thematic sections, each spanning approximately 50
represents the largest public display of the company’s Glass paperweight, ca. 1890. years – Early San Francisco (1850-1900), Western wear
archival materials ever assembled. Levi Strauss & Co. Archives (1900-1950), and Pop culture (1950-2000). Each
Levi Strauss: A History of American Style tells the section has a wealth of material, and the show is intended
distinctly American story of Levi Strauss, a Jewish immigrant to be a celebration of the history and enduring appeal of this
whose civic and philanthropic contributions were funda- singular phenomenon in American culture.
mental to San Francisco’s municipal development, and What were you hoping to accomplish when assembling the
whose momentous foundation of Levi Strauss & Co. came collection for this exhibit?
to influence culture on a global scale. The history of Levi
Strauss & Co. reflects the changing consciousness of the We wanted to tell the quintessentially American story
country, and this exhibition tracks the company’s trajec- of an immigrant, a businessman, and a philanthropist; and
tory from its initial emphasis on nineteenth century we wanted to bring together a wide range of exciting
miners and blue-collar laborers, to its role in crafting the garments, from totally thrashed early 501s worn by gold
mythology of the American West in the early twentieth miners up through wild custom Levi’s garments worn by
century, to its impact on the rise of international youth the likes of Beyoncé and Madonna, and a range of things
culture in the 1960s, and beyond. Marketed as hard- in between. Strauss and his legacy are a great lens through
working, authentic, and effortlessly cool, Levi’s® fash- which to view our evolving culture, and the blue jean
ioned an American identity defined by style. continues to be both an iconic emblem, and an enticing
“This exhibition captures the essence of The CJM’s blank canvas.
mission, at once telling a story that is definitively What is it about the exhibit that surprised you the most?
Jewish, classically American, and deeply embedded in I was particularly impressed with all the ways that
the cultural fabric of San Francisco,” said Lori Starr, people have customized their clothes throughout the
Executive Director of The CJM. “Through a decades. There are so many examples, but some of the
celebration of the birth of the blue jean, the exhibition mending and patching on the earliest workwear jeans,
shares the story of a hardworking Jewish immigrant Bib overalls, ca. 1900. all done out of necessity, really jumped out at me,
who realized the American dream and Levi Strauss & Co. Archives given how rarely people mend clothes now.
inspired a style revolution that continues And then also there are a lot of incredibly
today. The exhibition will contextualize the rich, ultra-detailed pieces from the seminal
Jewish experience for twenty-first century 1974 denim art contest.
audiences, offering insight into the history Are there pieces of the collection you wish
of San Francisco and its Jewish population, you could have exhibited?
the story of an iconic element of American
style, and the inventive spirit behind it all.” Of course, there’s always one that got
Here is a list of questions about the away. A few pieces were already on loan to
exhibit we posed to the exhibit’s Chief other venues, and others are too fragile to
Preparator and Exhibition Curator, Justin be displayed. There’s a photo from the
Limoges. archive in the show of Paul Newman
“Press-On”
buttons available wearing a custom patchwork Levi’s denim
How did you decide what items to pull from for purchase at retail blazer, looking about as cool as humanly
possible. The whereabouts of that blazer
the archive for the exhibit? locations, 1937. are unknown, sadly, so the photo will have
This exhibition was created in collaboration Levi Strauss & Co. Archives to suffice.
with the Levi Strauss & Co. archive, and Do you have a favorite item?
we’ve been fortunate to work with the archive’s very knowledgeable
and generous historian, Tracey Panek. The archive has a brick and There are a lot of really singular things in the show. Right this
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
30
L evi Strauss & Co., named for a Bavarian Jewish mortar home, located in the main Levi Strauss office
complex in San Francisco, and it also has a “virtual
dry goods merchant in San Francisco, obtained
vault” online comprised of thousands of images of
a U.S. patent with tailor Jacob Davis for the
process of putting metal rivets in men’s denim
ephemera in the collection that date back to the
work pants to increase their durability. It was the denim garments, photographs, objects, and other
birth of the blue jean. From February 13 to founding of the company.
August 9, 2020, The Contemporary Jewish As we are coming up on their 150th
Museum (The CJM) in San Francisco presents anniversary of the birth of the blue jean (1873),
Levi Strauss: A History of American Style, an you can imagine that there is no shortage of
original exhibition showcasing the life of Levi material. We spent months doing research and
Strauss and the worldwide phenomenon of the visiting the archive in order to refine our
now-iconic blue jean. selections to be able to tell a riveting story worthy
Featuring over 150 items from the Levi Strauss of Strauss and his legacy.
& Co. Archives, including garments, advertisements, The exhibition is organized around three
photographs, and ephemera, The CJM’s exhibition thematic sections, each spanning approximately 50
represents the largest public display of the company’s Glass paperweight, ca. 1890. years – Early San Francisco (1850-1900), Western wear
archival materials ever assembled. Levi Strauss & Co. Archives (1900-1950), and Pop culture (1950-2000). Each
Levi Strauss: A History of American Style tells the section has a wealth of material, and the show is intended
distinctly American story of Levi Strauss, a Jewish immigrant to be a celebration of the history and enduring appeal of this
whose civic and philanthropic contributions were funda- singular phenomenon in American culture.
mental to San Francisco’s municipal development, and What were you hoping to accomplish when assembling the
whose momentous foundation of Levi Strauss & Co. came collection for this exhibit?
to influence culture on a global scale. The history of Levi
Strauss & Co. reflects the changing consciousness of the We wanted to tell the quintessentially American story
country, and this exhibition tracks the company’s trajec- of an immigrant, a businessman, and a philanthropist; and
tory from its initial emphasis on nineteenth century we wanted to bring together a wide range of exciting
miners and blue-collar laborers, to its role in crafting the garments, from totally thrashed early 501s worn by gold
mythology of the American West in the early twentieth miners up through wild custom Levi’s garments worn by
century, to its impact on the rise of international youth the likes of Beyoncé and Madonna, and a range of things
culture in the 1960s, and beyond. Marketed as hard- in between. Strauss and his legacy are a great lens through
working, authentic, and effortlessly cool, Levi’s® fash- which to view our evolving culture, and the blue jean
ioned an American identity defined by style. continues to be both an iconic emblem, and an enticing
“This exhibition captures the essence of The CJM’s blank canvas.
mission, at once telling a story that is definitively What is it about the exhibit that surprised you the most?
Jewish, classically American, and deeply embedded in I was particularly impressed with all the ways that
the cultural fabric of San Francisco,” said Lori Starr, people have customized their clothes throughout the
Executive Director of The CJM. “Through a decades. There are so many examples, but some of the
celebration of the birth of the blue jean, the exhibition mending and patching on the earliest workwear jeans,
shares the story of a hardworking Jewish immigrant Bib overalls, ca. 1900. all done out of necessity, really jumped out at me,
who realized the American dream and Levi Strauss & Co. Archives given how rarely people mend clothes now.
inspired a style revolution that continues And then also there are a lot of incredibly
today. The exhibition will contextualize the rich, ultra-detailed pieces from the seminal
Jewish experience for twenty-first century 1974 denim art contest.
audiences, offering insight into the history Are there pieces of the collection you wish
of San Francisco and its Jewish population, you could have exhibited?
the story of an iconic element of American
style, and the inventive spirit behind it all.” Of course, there’s always one that got
Here is a list of questions about the away. A few pieces were already on loan to
exhibit we posed to the exhibit’s Chief other venues, and others are too fragile to
Preparator and Exhibition Curator, Justin be displayed. There’s a photo from the
Limoges. archive in the show of Paul Newman
“Press-On”
buttons available wearing a custom patchwork Levi’s denim
How did you decide what items to pull from for purchase at retail blazer, looking about as cool as humanly
possible. The whereabouts of that blazer
the archive for the exhibit? locations, 1937. are unknown, sadly, so the photo will have
This exhibition was created in collaboration Levi Strauss & Co. Archives to suffice.
with the Levi Strauss & Co. archive, and Do you have a favorite item?
we’ve been fortunate to work with the archive’s very knowledgeable
and generous historian, Tracey Panek. The archive has a brick and There are a lot of really singular things in the show. Right this
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
30
