patent number one, 39 121 was issued to a Latvian immigrant, Jacob Davis, and a

German born businessman named Levi Strauss.

It was for an improvement and fascinating pocket openings.

As mundane as that may sound. The invention being patented was for

metal rivets designed to hold indigo denim waist overalls together.

What we now know today as blue jeans. The problem and the solution began with

Davis, a tailor in Reno, Nevada, who kept fielding customers who wanted the

pockets of their work pants reinforced to prevent rips.

It was a simple problem and a simple solution.

Davis realized that a thicker material secured with metal rivets would be more

durable for the laborers, the farmers and the miners who are the primary wears

of denim at the time. In need of money, though, he reached out

to Strauss, who was selling cloth in San Francisco and at the time agreed to pay

the $68 in patent fees. Now, to be sure, Davis and Strauss

technically didn't invent blue jeans. The phrase itself traces all the way

back to the Renaissance in the French blue Tejon, which was a reference to the

blue fabrics imported from Italy. And that brings us to our question of

the day. Blue jeans, as a phrase, was uncommon to

use until the 1950s. Prior to then, denim pants, whether they

were stopped at the waist or went all the way up to the torso, were referred

to overalls or bib overalls, a catch all term for workwear.

But the change in vernacular was largely tied to a change in perception of the

product. The first batches of Levi's were

initially popular as work pants, but the introduction of that iconic five of one

style helped denim crossover from utilitarian to casual.

The transition to fashion accelerated further after World War Two as U.S.

soldiers sporting the brand around the globe captivated the aesthetic

sensibilities of a burgeoning leisure class.

It didn't hurt that Hollywood stars like James Dean and Marlon Brando prominently

sported Levi's in movies. Given the pants a cultural credibility

at the time when Baby Boom era and the accompanying affluence was beginning to

take off. While Levi's has had its share of ups

and downs, the company's legacy may be rooted more in its ability to keep up

with the changing tastes and social mores.

Belt loops. They were added to jeans in the 1920s.

Lady Levi's. They were introduced in the thirties to

target specific body shape differences. The 1950s brought us the cuffed and boxy

style, as well as the first zipper fly, which was met with derision and fear for

obvious reasons. Slim cigarette cut jeans for women

dominated the 1960s. Bellbottoms and patchwork jeans were

prominent in the seventies, and from there it was high waisted jeans favored

by moms, then big and baggy jeans favored by rappers.

Then low rise jeans favored by Britney Spears and then skinny jeans favoured by

whoever could squeeze themselves into it.

Of course, fashion tends to be cyclical. And now we're back again to the wildly

jeans, the culottes and comfort. Whatever style or trend Levi's has had.

Whatever style, the trend is really dominated.

Levi's has really managed to endure for 171 years now, and maybe Scarlett 171

years more.