Levi's 20x20 Brand Report

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Anna Bevilacqua

Levi Strauss & Co Brand report: Contextualized introduction, competitors, consumers profile and concision to research with ideas to move forward.

20x20 research – written research and visual mood boards in sketchbook.

Word count: 3700 Contents Page 3-4 - Introduction to Levi’s.

Page 5-6 – Consumers Pages 7-15 – 20x20 research: words, questions and answers.

Page 15 – Conclusion Page 16 onwards – References

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Figure 1

Contextualised introduction to Levi’s.

Founded in 1873, Levi Strauss & Co, are the world’s leading apparel company, specialising in jeans and edgy denim wear, the most famous being the 501 jeans. Sitting in the high end of the high street market and in the Apparel sector of the fashion market, today, Levi Strauss & Co are still celebrating their unique, gritty heritage and industry leading standards they set many years ago. The company has not failed to impress, as in 2016, Levi’s brought in a net revenue of $4.6 billion, and this net revenue grew 40% from the previous. Levi’s has over 13,200 employees, and is accessible in 110 countries worldwide, with 2,900 of Levi’s own physical stores for customers to enjoy purchasing from. As well as this, Levi’s has a large online presence, with an e-commerce website, and multiple social media pages. In 2016, Levi’s celebrated an e-commerce growth of 17.8%. On Instagram, the Levi’s US account boats 3.1 million followers, and the Levi’s UK account has 67.3K followers. On Twitter, their page has 800.5K followers.

Contrary to popular belief, Levi Strauss & Co, doesn’t just sell denim jeans. The brand also sells t-shirts, shirts, jackets, overalls, dresses, sweaters, as well as an extension accessory range of shoes, bags, belts, hats, gloves and leather goods. These are styles for both men and women.

Originally a men’s workwear brand, as of 2016, Levi’s is focussing on becoming more of a lifestyle brand, as well as increasing women’s sales, which grew 11% from 2015 to 2016.Even with its slight change of consumers and identity, Levi Strauss & Co’s apparel company still remains the same iconic brand consumers know, love and have been loyal to for many years.

Products are loved and worn for years, as people often think of Levi’s jeans as an investment and a wardrobe staple. Style, culture and unique identity is reflected by the jeans, and help to shape the personality and aesthetic of the wearer. The unique narrative of the brand: being the first denim brand, originally for miners and workwear, all the way through to youth rebellion and statement of wearing jeans, still rings through the brand today. In terms of trends, Levi’s are a classic investment purchase, so don’t create trends that others follow. However, they do follow trends. For example: by adding rips into jeans and appliqueing jeans and jackets with patterns and patches, as this is a trend that WGSN has predicted will be the new denim trend for 2018 and the foreseeable future.

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Levi’s is an apparel brand that sits in the higher end of the high street fashion market. This placing is due to its excellent quality of product and the mid-range price point. However, the brand still faces fierce competition from its competitors, who sit both higher and lower than Levi’s in the market levels. Some of Levi’s main competitors are: Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Wrangler at the luxury end of the market, and fast fashion retailers Topshop and River Island, at the lower end of the market. Wrangler offers rough and stylish casual wear that appeals to a higher, middle class target market. A pair of women’s blue slim jeans from Wrangler cost £75, and in Levi’s cost a slightly higher price of £85. This acts as a direct competition to Levi’s, as both brands have a similar price range, aesthetic and target consumer. Tommy Hilfiger also sells a similar brand aesthetic of looking quintessentially American, as do Levi’s, and also target men and women of a middle class with urban and casual styling preferences. In Tommy Hilfiger, a pair of women’s slim jeans would cost £110, so slightly higher than Levi’s prices. In Calvin Klein, the above pair of jeans would cost between £90 - £120. Due to their heavy, higher end branding and direct targeting towards higher end consumers, these competitors are often seen to be offering more premium denim than Levi’s, which often takes consumer’s focus away from Levi’s premium denim, and rich heritage and brand narrative. Towards the lower market, in Topshop and River Island, who’s lower price point makes purchasing jeans more accessible and affordable for the younger target consumers, Levi’s also face competition, with a slim pair of jeans from Topshop and River Island both costing £40.

With Levi’s original target market being slightly older adults; generation Y consumers, this target market generally has a higher disposable income to spend on clothing as they will be more than likely enjoying a stable career. This will allow them to perhaps purchase jeans from a more luxury brand at a higher price than Levi’s, as they will be more of an investment purchase. Therefore, this gives Levi’s competition. However, as Levi’s is beginning to accept that their original target market is growing older and losing some interest in the brand, they are trying to lower their target market age to more of an older teenage and student market, of younger generation Y’s and generation Z aged consumers. However, here is where Levi’s face competition from their fast fashion counterparts. Younger consumers may not have a large disposable income, so may be more inclined to purchase cheaper jeans from Topshop or River Island.

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Consumers The ideal Levi’s consumer for 2018 would be Ashely. Ashley is a 18-25-year-old, whom will be a young generation Y or an older generation Z. Ashley could be male or female, as Levi’s sells and promotes for both genders. They would live in America, specifically California or New York, or another large city, like London, Paris, Millan, as Levi’s is a global brand and doesn’t just cater for American consumers, Ashley would be a student, either coming towards the end of high school or in university. Ashley’s family would be middle class, and have a large disposable income, as both of the parents would have highly qualified, full times jobs. Due to this large income, Ashely and family have always been able to travel, which is a large passion for Levi’s consumers as they are able to connect with their free spirited and adventurous element of their personality, which helps them to buy into the casual, individualistic narrative of the brand, and the type of lifestyle Levi’s designs for. Adding to this adventurous lifestyle, consumers also enjoy outdoor pursuits like: surfing, hiking, and swimming, Also, due to the high income, Ashley would have been brought up wearing high quality and fashionable clothing, and may but from retailers such as: Diesel, Tommy Hilfiger, Urban Outfitters, Topshop and Wrangler. However, an ideal Levi’s consumer cares more about quality over quantity, so does not like to buy fast fashion items with a short product life cycle too often, as they are likely to be thrown away when fashions change. Levi’s consumers care and understand the sustainability element of the brand, so when buying clothing, like to spend a little more to buy a piece of clothing they can invest in and wear for years. They agree and buy into the narrative of “Live in Levi’s.” A Levi’s consumer like Ashley would be inspired by vintage styles, so may recycle their old clothing or customise it with applique or embroidery, a style that Levi’s is supporting with the invention of their Innovation Lab, where consumers can take their denim to be customized. Moreover, a Levi’s consumer will want to appear edgy and cool, so will listen to light rock or indie music, They will attend gigs, concerts and house parties regularly, and are seen to be popular amongst their peers. Being a Generation Z or late Y, Ashley will be active on social media, and likes to follow fashion, travel and lifestyle blogs and Instagram accounts.

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The younger Generation Y and Generation Z consumers of Levi’s will have a range of values that help them to stay loyal to the brand, and help them to buy into the narrative and lifestyle Levi’s celebrates. Ideal consumers will value self-expression through clothing, music and lifestyle choices, as they will want to create a unique, edgy, effortless identity so they seem trendy and cool. This consumer value links back to Levi’s heritage, as in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, Levi’s fashion was associated with music artists, bikers, racers, producers and artists, as these people wanted to create a rough, ready, yet very stylish identity for themselves by wearing Levi’s. The Levi’s consumer will also want to be a trend setter in their high school, university, friendship group or workplace, however they will also value fitting into society and being accepted lovingly in their social circle. This is why consumers will be loyal to Levi’s, as the brand offers effortlessly trendy, timeless, durable and convenient fashion.

Originally, Levi’s consumers were, what society now classes as, millennials and older generation Y’S. These consumes will now be between the age of 25-38. However, these consumers may be aging away from wanting to purchase from Levi’s, as they may have worn Levi’s when they were a teenager or young adult in the 1990’s or 2000’s, as they may have wanted to seem rebellious in their youth. However, as this age group are growing and moving away from purchasing Levi’s as much as they once were, Levi’s are now wanting to target again the new younger consumer

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20x20 Research

Please see sketchbook also for written and visual 20X20 research Levi Strauss

How and why did Levi Strauss set up his company?

Levi Strauss was born on the 26th February 1829 in Bavaria, Germany. After his father passed away from Tuberculosis, Levi and his sisters emigrated to New York, where, along with his two brothers, set up a dry goods sales business under the brand name of J. Strauss Brothers & Co in 1846. After several years trading with his family, in 1853, news of the Californian Gold Rush excited Levi, so Levi decided to move his part of the company to San Francisco, as he saw great business opportunity from thousands of miners passing through on the way for their desperate search for gold. It was at this time he broke away from the family business, and went by his own brand name Levi Strauss & Co that is still used today. Levi sold clothing, blankets, and handkerchiefs to small general stores in the American West.

In 1872, Levi received a letter from Jacob Davies, whom was a tailor at the time and also one of Levi’s customers. Within the letter, Jacob had written how he made sturdy trousers with rivets in them for extra support, and how he would like a business partner to take both of their businesses forward as one. In 1873, the first pair of blue denim jeans were created, and sold to miners and rail road workers to be worn as work clothing. This first jean was classed as the 501, and named XX, which meant “made to the highest quality. “In 1886, the first leather label, which included the twohorse logo, was added to the back of the jeans, and helped Levi’s unique branding. Levi Strauss passed away in 1902, and was estimated to be worth $6 million.

Products and price

What products do Levi’s sell and at what price?

Levi’s sell an array of different trendy apparel products. These include: jeans, of different styles; slim, skinny, boyfriend, bootleg, wide leg, and plus size for both men and women, t-shirts, hoodies, shirts, shorts, jackets and coats for both men and women, as well as women’s dresses. Levi’s also supply an extension range of shoes, bags, underwear, purses, belts, gloves, hats and bandanas, Levi’s also sell a children’s range In terms of different collections that Levi’s supply in store and via their ecommerce website: NFL Collection of iconic products - £70-£90 Silver Tab Collection - £25-£110 Levi’s Commuter - £30-£140 Levi’s Line Eight with rebellious and unisex styles - £20-£85 7

Levi’s Icons - £65-£99 With this price range and quality of products, this marketing allows Levi’s to sit in the high end of the high street market, as the majority of products are affordable for middle class consumers. The prices are mostly too low for the brand to be classed as luxury, and having the status of a high street brand, makes the brand much more assessable for consumers.

Place

Where are Levi’s products sold around the world?

Levi’s is a global brand divided into global sections. These sections are: Levi’s America, Levi’s Africa, Middle East and Europe and Levi’s Asia. This world spread gives a wide range of people from different cultures to purchase from the brand and to add to the brand narrative by giving different styles to Demin.

Levi’s is sold in their own stores, in department stores such as Debhanam’s which helps to highlight the brand as a higher high street brand, and online on their e-commerce website.

Levi’s has a well organised distribution channel, as they have factories in every county that has Levi’s retail space, Promotion

How do Levi’s promote their products?

Levi’s have given their advertisements and promotion a trendy edge that targets middle class men and women whom are part of an older Generation Z and Young Generation Y. Levi’s uses various forms of media platforms to promote on, and these include: television adverts, YouTube Adverts, magazines, posters, newspapers, billboards and online popups. Social media is also a large presence for Levi’s, as most of their market that they advertise for have strong online presences, due to being brought up in the technological age. As part of their promotional activities, Levi’s often offer various discounted sales, jean trades, buy one get one free sales, and they often hold events where consumers can take their old jeans to Levi’s and get money for them, while Levi’s recycles them. This reemphasis their brand narrative and message for recycling jeans and not throwing them out.

In 2009, Levi’s produced their Go Forth Campaign. The campaign was inspired by the passion and drive that Walt Whiteman, an 1800’s poet, felt about America’s future, in an exiting time for western exploration of native America. The campaign was an exciting, inspirational one, that included powerful quotes about strength, work and outdoor activities, The campaign have Levi’s a new

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lease of energy, while paying homage to Levi’s rural roots, American worker narrative.

More recently, in 2014, Levi’s released their Live in Levi’s campaign This campaign highlighted people going through their life’s wearing Levi’s as staple garments, and not only included the new younger target market, but also older Levi’s consumers, to help re engage them with the modern Levi’s brand. The campaign had a simple message of bringing stories to Levi’s products, as they share moments of a consumer’s life and age with them. This reflects the brand narrative of buying Levi’s as an investment t pair of jeans.

Labour Why was denim chosen for workwear?

When Levi Strauss founded his company in San Francisco in 1853, during the American Gold rush, he found that miners needed a garment to work in, that would be strong and hardwearing, would protect their legs from dirt and injury, and would be comfortable to wear and work in for long periods of time. Thus, Demin, a tightly twisted twill weave structure was chosen for the job, replacing canvas, in which the trousers had previously been made. The new jeans allowed not only freedom of movement for miners, ranch workers, cowboys and rail road workers, but also gave them pocket space to store tools and any gold found. Then, to make the Demin jeans even stronger, n 1873, rivets were added to the pockets on the front of the 501 jeans, to help reinforce the pockets for workers. In the same year, Levi Strauss and his co-founder Jacob Davis trademarked their Demin jeans on May 20th by the US Trademark office.

Uniform Why do farmers have to wear a uniform for agricultural work?

When working outdoors, in farm yards or on building suits, farmers and agricultural workers have to wear clothing that is practical for the type of job.

This means it the garments have to be insulating in the cold weather but breathable in the warmer weather, durable, flexible for ease of movement and protective, while still being comfortable garments that workers can enjoy wearing. These garments therefore, include, jeans, fleeces, and check shirts amongst others. This has therefore become the type of uniform that farmers and outdoor workers are expected to wear for their job, just as cowboys, rail workers and miner would have done when Levi Strauss first introduced his jeans to the agricultural world.

Also, the majority of paying jobs require a uniform of some sort. This therefore creates a good connection between Levi’s and Thom Browne, as Browne 9

designs smart, sleek, business like, school inspired uniforms, suitable for the office environment. Thus, if both elements of uniforms were combined, this could potentially act as a great cross over for a new type of uniformed garment in the collaboration between the two brands.

Women How did Levi’s effect women’s labour and fashion?

During the early 1900’s, amidst the first wave of feminist and women fighting for the right to vote, practical and comfortable fashion was becoming wanted and needed by women. However, the idea of women wearing jeans to work was ridiculed, as before both world wars, a women’s place was only in the house. Rebellious females, specifically in America, would adapt their husband’s, brother’s, or father’s jeans.

However, during the first world war, women had to work in physical labour for the first time on farms, ranch’s, and factories as well as completing house work and looking after children while men were at work. This new shift in women’s place required new fashions, so “Freedom All’s” were invented in 1818, and these were baggy, oversized overalls that allowed ease of movement. By the 1920s, Levi’s was producing women’s hiking togs and jackets in khaki. While this was happening, Chanel was making breakthroughs with loosely cut, masculine styled, trousers, however, these were only fashionable for leisure wear and not workwear.

The first line of women’s Levi’s jeans was produced in 1934, and these were known as Lady Levi’s. These were developed for American women working on farms, ranches, and for house work. The style number was 701, and was distinguished from the men’s 501’s, as the jeans were designed with a women’s body shape in mind, as the nation has now realised that women had two legs, and not one covered up by long skirts. Soon after the launch of Lady Levi’s, the style became popular with women on the East Coast, whom wanted fashion and were not used to rural, agricultural work. This spread of popularity was due to a 1935 Vogue article, named Dude Ranches, and illustrated women wearing Levi’s for work.

However, this style has adapted through the centuries, with women creating their own identity through the jeans they wear. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, women and teenagers would wear jeans to rebel against wearing the same, more restricting long dresses and skirts as their mothers. In this period, women’s jeans were more glamorised, for the sophisticated, sexy women. Then in the 70’s women would wear large, flared jeans to show their support to the hippie movement and to create their own identity and selfstatement for bring free spirited and belonging to the hippie tribe.

Denim

When was Denim first invented and by whom?

The original Denim fabric was first invented in the 1600’s, and was originally called Serge De Nimes, ad Denim was invented in a southern French City named Nimes.

However, previous to the high popularity of Demin jeans made famous by Levi Strauss 10

and Jacob Davis, when Davis made the first pair of rivet enforced jeans in 1873, jean production had been taking place for decades before. Before Demin, there was a lighter, weaker cotton material called Cotton Duck Fabric, however, this was adapted into a heavier, Denim fabric known today. In the 1700’s, the first Textiles Mills were built in America, which mass-produced cotton and denim fabric, the natural fibre of which was harvested by African American slaves in labour fields. In 1787, the first Cotton Mill, The Beverly Cotton Mill Manufactory was built in Massachusetts. This was the largest cotton mill in the era. The factory was built with economic success in mind, however was always limited due to technical limitations on the machines being used. Due to its pioneering in the textiles manufacturing field, this factory is often referred to as “the birth place of the American Industrial Revolution.”

Why did Levi Strauss and Jacob Davies choose denim for their jeans?

Denim is a cotton-based Twill weave fabric, where the weft yarn passes under two or more warp yarns before turning at the selvedge, to create a very strong, thick, sturdy structure, that doesn’t easily fray. The warp threads are dyed an Indigo colour, or whatever colour the designer wishes to be seen on the outside of the jeans, and the weft threads are left white.

This denim, twill weave structure, due to its tight weave, is much stronger, hardwearing and resilient than a plain weave fabric, so will therefore withstand wear and tear while still staying crisp and without losing their shape easily.

Blue

Why were the jeans blue?

The colour of the iconic 501 worker jeans comes from the indigo dye used. Indigo is a dye that, when heated, penetrates the Demin fibres and binds to the weave’s thread’s, unlike some colour dyes that only penetrate the surface of some fibres. When the jeans are washed, some of the dye molecules are stripped away. This process strips the jeans and helps to soften them, and in some extreme cases, shrinks the jeans into a different colour and shape. This helped the wearer to create a unique pair of 501’s for their own style, as they could control the fit.

Moreover, originally, Indigo dye was the cheapest dye to use and manufacture in the mid 1800’s, meaning a higher quantity of jeans could be made. Originally, Indigo dye was first found in plants in Asia, which was extracted organically and treated as a rare substance. However, due to its low concentration, the dye was tinted with other dyes. Indigo dye was brought to North America in the 16th century, and plantations worked on by slaves were set up in North Carolina and Jamaica, making Indigo a much more accessible and tradeable dye. However, in 1878, the same decade Levi’s were trademarked, the first synthetic Indigo dye

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was beginning to be worked on by German Chemist Adolf Von Baeyer. The first fully, safe synthetic Indigo dye was created in 1897.

Ethics

How have working conditions improved at Levi’s factories?

In 1991, Levi Strauss & Co became the first apparel, multinational company to establish labour rights, health and safety, and environmental standards in clothing factories where their garments were made. These new environmental working rights helped Levi Strauss & Co’s global contractors to keep their standards up to Levi’s working values. The working and environmental guidelines were created by a group of ten employees from several different parts of the factories, and areas of the company. The model they produced was called The Business Partner Terms of Engagement. Factories and contractors of Levi Strauss & Co, must provide safe working conditions, health and safety rules in all factories and stores, pay employees a fair wage that reflected the hours worked, allow inspectors to visit at any given time during working hours, to keep up with environmental standards, and to only let employees work the maximum of sixty hours per week.

How are Levi’s trying to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable?

As a company, Levi Strauss & Co, aim to have a good environmental impact when manufacturing, and aim to not only manufacture their garments in a sustainable way, but they also encourage consumers to treat their denim in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Levi’s recently conducted a study of a denim product lifestyle, and this study showed that for a pair of 501 jeans, 37% of their climate impact and 23% of the water consumption was through consumers washing and caring for the jeans, at that part of the lifestyle.

However, Levi’s want to influence their consumers to see a pair of jeans as an essential wardrobe investment and not a throw away, fast fashion item, which jeans are often commercially seen as.

Culture How have film, music, celebrity and literature based cultural changes influenced how den has been perceived over time?

After the ending of World War Two and the Great American Depression, rebellion through wearing Demin and was seen as an iconic and glamourized, yet edgy and youthful look. Firstly, Hollywood stars like Marylyn Monroe graced screens, newspapers, and magazines by wearing the newly invented Lady Levi’s in the 1930’s, which added an arguably over glamourized edge to a women’s wardrobe, as women

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were still seen as slightly subservient to men even after the first wave of feminism, while still giving women the first taste of clothing freedom they desired and needed.

In the 1950’s, Marlon Brando helped to give denim a rough sex appeal. In 1951, he stared in Tennessee William’s A Street Car Named Desire, where his jeans acted as a dramatic costume devise, which helped show the audience his working class, rough roots, which gave his character of Stanley a much rougher and tougher edge, which was contrasted with Blanche’s dainty, white, upper class clothing. This contracting of working class clothing not only linked back to Levi’s working-class heritage, but also helped show the audience of the 50’s where fashion and the new post war world was moving to: a more practical, yet sexy and rebellious style, which was effortlessly cool.

In this decade, James Dean was also seen wearing turned up jeans styled with biker jackets in Funny Face and Rebel Without a Cause. These iconic movies set the tone of youthfulness, ruggedness, and looking effortlessly trendy and sexy in jeans and Demin after the harsh demands of the war were over, and people were much free with their life choices. The “All American” look was created. In 1978, the film Grease payed homage to the 50’s, by dressing the cast of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in Demin and leather’s, as they take on their playful roles of 50’s teenagers amidst teenage romance and friendship drama. In 1961, Levi’s also introduced their Slim Fits jeans with five pockets, that were loved by teenagers.

In the 1980’s, jeans and Demin were seen worn by Rock style music artists such as Blondie, The Rolling Stones, The Clash, where double Demin looks were seen as the ultimate aesthetic for rockers and free-spirited music lovers. This again stays loyal to Levi’s brand narrative by creating very edgy, rebellious looks, while still staying practical and a staple item in many consumer’s wardrobe’s during the 80’s. A bold statement of dressing how you want for whom you want to be was created through denim in this decade, which may have been influenced by the free, hippie movement of the 70’s, where people were much more comforted by making bold statements with clothing. Also, in the 80’s, films like Stand By Me and The Goonies, presented groups of streetwise yet slightly nerdy teenage boys wearing denim casually with simple tshirts, as they were practical yet still trendy for their adventures and activities, as they embarked upon their coming of age journeys. This may have targeted a young market, and influenced teenagers of the 80’s to purchase Levi’s, and keep their brand loyalty.

The 1980’s was also and important political era, for women especially, with antiabortion protests and the next wave of feminism playing a large part in culture, as well as the ongoing threat of nuclear war and the birth rate implications this could cause. In 1985, The Handmaid’s Tale was published by Margaret Atwood, which addressed these issues, as well as highlighting a women’s place in fashion and society, which served as a contrast to the pervious era of the 70’s where women were much freer to wear denim and the clothing they desired.

Towards the 90’s and 2000’s, Demin became much less of an American Look, and Rock and Indie British bands such as Oasis and The Verve gave Demin and jeans a much more unfinished, unclean and grunge style, which helped to give way to a more

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modern was of dressing with rips, high waists and baggy legs that are popular in fashion today.

Teenagers

How did the rise of 1950’s teenagers increase the popularity of Demin?

The 1950’s was a time where fashion and music was rebellious and rocked. This was due to the huge teenage movement and rebellion caused by angsty teenagers desperate for more freedom and independence from their parents and from society’s expectations of young adults. After the war, where women had begun to show more working presence and a new place in society, and after the pressure of men having to go to war, the new group of young adults, then newly named “teenagers”, desired to have a new purpose in life. This meant having more fun, wearing youthful and street wise fashions such as Demin and leather which they previously couldn’t have worn due to society’s expectation of them wearing the same suits and skirts as their parents, going to dances and movies, and listening to jive music. Parents began to understand that teenagers wanted more freedom from not just getting a job and getting married, and this divide caused a fashion contrast between more classical parents and rebellious youth. This would have also influenced their buying choices, as Levi’s jeans wold have been bought by teenagers as they wanted to seem trendy and attractive, thus setting Levi’s ongoing market for younger, more middle-class consumers.

Due to the increase in teenagers wearing Demin, and the All-American Look being introduced, teens began to recycle their Demin and the first Levi’s stores began to be opened in Europe in 1959.

Fast Fashion How has the growth of the Fast Fashion Denim and jeans market effected Levi’s?

The Fast Fashion Denim market is one of the largest fashion markets and distribution channels in the world, with over $13 billion sales in 2016: a figure that is expected to rise to $20 billion by 2023, as WGSN predicts a huge growth in patch work Demin. Therefore, as this tight market rises, Levi’s face more and more competition from lower priced retailers such as Topshop, River Island, Zara and New Look, where prices are slightly more affordable for the mass market, even though the overall quality of the jeans is less compared to the high-quality manufacture and design of Levi’s. As Fast Fashion retailers sell mostly fad fashions with shorter product lifestyles, they often supply more choice of styles and cuts of denim and jeans, and follow fad trends which their consumer base enjoys. Levi’s does this also by following Demin trends, however, in their brand narrative, Levi’s likes to emphasis that their jeans are 14

an investment purchase and not a throw away fashion like jeans from fast fashion retailers often are.

Conclusion and ideas moving forward.

For the collaboration between Levi’s and Thom Browne, the idea is to bring Levi’s into Thom Browne, making Levi’s much sleeker, tailored and uniformed to match the Thom Browne aesthetic. The collaboration will bring together the heritage, values, and family life that are the heart of each brand, and a large part of both brand’s narratives, while also updating Levi’s into the now, to help them to keep up with Thom in the rapidly changing face of fast fashion. The hybrid brand will bring a more casual spin on Thom’s garments while still keeping the polished lines. To incorporate the future sustainability of the new brand, as this is one of the values Levi’s holds dear, the end result will only be sold in American stores. It will not be sold online, as the loyal Thom consumers deserve to enjoy an immersive experience of purchasing from a physical store, thus instilling brand narrative by making this collection made to measure. The consumers will know that this purchase will be an investment purchase, and to back this up the product will have a 501-week warranty, to pay homage to the iconic 501 Levi’s jeans, a key style that will be at the heart of the hybrid.

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References for information in report and sketch book “1950’s Teenagers - https://1950steenagers.wordpress.com/ “How Levi’s became the ultimate symbol of rebellious youth” – Ted Stansfield, March 2016 www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/30419/1/how-levi-s-became-the-ultimate-symbolof-rebellious-youth “How Levi’s iconic 501 Jean became the biggest pop culture influence of the 20th century” – Samuel Trotman, March 2016 - https://www.wgsn.com/blogs/levis-documentary-looks-501jeans-influence-pop-culture/# “Levi'sandthe StayingPowerofAmerican Innovation”–Jacob Victorine ,November2017 https://www.grailed.com/drycleanonly/levis-history “The History of Levi’s” - https://theidleman.com/manual/arrivals/brands/the-history-oflevis/ “10 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Levi’s” https://theidleman.com/manual/arrivals/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-levis/ “Global Denim Market 2017-2023 by Product, Segment, Consumer Type, and Distribution Channel” – December 2017 - https://globenewswire.com/newsrelease/2017/12/13/1261138/0/en/Global-Denim-Market-2017-2023-by-Product-SegmentConsumer-Type-and-Distribution-Channel.html “The real origins of Denim” – April 2013 https://thefreethebrave.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/the-real-origins-of-denim/ “History of Jeans and Denim” - http://www.historyofjeans.com/ “Heritage Timeline” - http://www.levistrauss.com/our-story/#heritage-timeline “Levi Strauss” - www.levistrauss.com/ “Fashion History: the bond between ladies and Levi’s – March 2017 https://fashionista.com/2017/03/levis-jeans-womens-denim-history “Case: Levi Strauss & Co. in China” - Michael Matteson and Chris Metivier , 2018 https://philosophia.uncg.edu/phi361-matteson/module-5-treatment-of-employees/caselevi-strauss-co-in-china/ “HowEthical isLevi’s?” - MartinJacob’s,September2017 - https://goodonyou.eco/levis-ethical/ “Annual Report 2016” - http://levistrauss.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Levi-StraussAnnual-Report-2016-1.pdf

“Levi’s Marketing Mix” - https://www.mbaskool.com/marketing-mix/products/17401levis.html “Marketing Mix of Levi’s” - Hitesh Bhasin, January 2018 https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-mix-of-levis/ “Levi’s Go Forth” – July 2009 - http://www.wk.com/campaign/go_forth

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“Telling Stories That Live with Your Customers” – Victor Gamez , https://percolate.com/customers/campaigns-made-with-percolate/levis “Levi’s Website” http://www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/

Image references Front cover image: http://blog.sight-management.com/vincent-lacrocq-for-levisss16/ Figure 1 – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/318981586080427670/?lp=true Figure 2 – https://www.denimlounge.gr/en/wrangler-retro-straight-jeans-shadowdance-w27v-70-99a.html Figure 3 – http://wheretoget.it/link/3016136 Figure 4 – https://www.gq.com/gallery/best-jeans-for-men-new-designer Figure 5 - http://wheretoget.it/look/4324362 Figure 6 - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/574068283724284125/?lp=true

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