The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco will open a new exhibition in 2020 – Levi Strauss: A History of American Style. This will be the largest such exhibition ever showed anywhere, and it’ll very fittingly be in San Francisco, where it all began in 1873. It’s hard to believe the blue jean has been here for so long!
Levi Strauss came from Bavaria to California at the height of Gold Rush, in 1860. He was a dry goods merchant back home, but here, together with tailor Jacob Davis, he recognized the need for indestructible pants for working men and got right to work. They patented the process of putting metal rivets in men’s denim work pants, which made them last no matter what job they did. This is how the blue jean was born.
The upcoming exhibition will celebrate the live of Levi Strauss, his story, the invention of iconic blue jean, its place in the story of American style, and the fact that it became a lot more than just working pants.
Levi Strauss has very American story – a Jewish immigrant chasing his dream all the way to here and becoming successful self-made businessman and philanthropist. His views and influence were a big part of San Francisco history too. Levi was strong on family values and civic responsibility, laying foundation for the spirit of San Francisco that is still alive today.
The Levi Strauss & Co. started locally and became known as “waist overalls” makers for gold miners, farmers, and tradespeople, but it didn’t stay local for long. The evolution of the company was swift and its influence grew in the early 20th century, taking over the entire nation. Levi’s crafted not only clothing; they were vocal in advertising and vital in capturing the story of American West.
The exhibition ends with the second half of 20th century, when 1960s liberal and democratic values became synonymous with the blue jean. It became a cultural symbol not just for U.S., but for youth everywhere. Rockers, revolutionists, and just about everybody felt and still feels free in the classic blue jean that was started by Levi Strauss.
To this day on film, television, on stages, in the streets, and in every household we wear the jeans, we move forward, grow, create, but some staples from the past remain strong. During three centuries Levi Strauss & Co. helped define what it is to be a hard-working, achieving, inclusive, and authentic American.
You can expect to see various garments, vintage apparel, media records, advertisements, Levi’s personal belongings, and archival materials from the company itself and donated by private collectors. The exhibition is the largest of such kind ever presented. It will be open for public from February 13th to August 9th, 2020, so you will have plenty of time to plan a trip there and learn more about this vital part of our culture.
The exhibition is perfect for the entire family as the museum is not very large. After the walking tour you can take a break in the nearby park at 250 Valencia Street, near Dubose.