Levi Strauss & Co

About Levi Strauss & Co

Levi Strauss & Co. was founded in San Francisco in 1853 by German immigrant Levi Strauss. Twenty years later, in 1873, Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis patented the first riveted denim pant, a garment that went on to define American workwear and become a global uniform for youth culture. That original design led to the 501, which became the foundation of the label's legacy. Levi's traces its roots directly to the gold rush era of the American West, and its riveted construction was a genuine innovation in durability, built to withstand hard physical work rather than follow fashion.