What does an artist do who is at the top of their field? He increases his scope. That’s exactly what Ian Berry did, a denim artist extraordinaire who creates artworks from old jeans. In honor of the 150th anniversary of Levi’s iconic 501 jeans, Berry has collaborated with the brand. The result is the largest mural ever made from denim – measuring an impressive 4 x 10 meters and was exhibited in Paris in mid-March. From today it can be seen as part of Design Week in Milan. FashionUnited spoke to Ian Berry ahead of the artwork’s move and asked him about the challenges of such a monumental task.
“This was by far the most challenging and challenging project I’ve ever worked on,” laughs Berry. “I don’t usually work with brands, but this project was exciting. I love the history of jeans and there is no history of blue jeans without Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis. The 501 is the epitome of jean, so this 150th anniversary is a big deal for me. The result is the greatest work I have ever attempted. Countless hours have gone into this work, but I am incredibly proud to finally see the result,” explains Berry.
As a tribute to those who made the 501 a timeless, style-agnostic, and trans-generational garment, the mural features seven characters representing important cultural archetypes over the decades – “from the cowboys of the 1880s to the punks and queer communities.” ’70s bikers, rebels, and a character representing blue-collar workers through a Rosie the Riveter character,” explains Levi’s in a press release.
Levi’s unveils largest denim mural ever
“The story is so rich; it was pretty easy to draw inspiration from all the people who have done great things in their jeans,” adds Berry. And that’s still the case today – when the mural began its European tour on Paris’ Place de la République from March 17-19, the historic square was taken over by protesters just days later as part of the latest pension reform strike, some of whom many no doubt also wore jeans.
The entire mural consists of 16 panels, each as large as the largest of Berry’s earlier works – for example, Hotel California, which measures 8 by 4 feet. “I didn’t see the finished work until I was in Paris,” says Berry, as there simply wasn’t room to spread it out in an interior space. That’s when Levi’s saw it for the first time.
The sheer size was “a huge challenge because I had to use larger pieces of denim, which was really difficult to find the perfect piece,” says Berry. “That was the worrying thing about how big the parts had to be. After all, they got bigger, but the individual jeans didn’t. I had to completely change the way I work and think,” Berry recalls. So a big part of his job was finding the perfect pieces among lots of old jeans that Levi’s had collected and made available to him.
Levi’s is more than satisfied with the result. “This project looks fantastic. Ian’s interpretation of the 501 jean’s recurring presence in the counterculture and movements of the time is spot on,” comments Tracey Panek, historian at Levi Strauss & Co. and Berry’s longtime admirer.
Also part of the installation was an exhibition at the Parisian café Fluctuât Nec Mergitur, showing various models of 501 jeans, including the Circular 501 and the latest models, the 501 54′ and 501 81′, as well as the manufacturing process in which cotton is planted and other raw materials are used.
“I am proud that our Levi’s brand can associate its name with this great artist in such an important year and that we can showcase his amazing artwork in this vibrant and eclectic square in the heart of Paris. This year’s ‘Greatest Story Ever Worn’ campaign is about celebrating the 501 jeans with our fans and thanking them for being a part of this inspiring story,” comments Mathilde Vaucheret, Marketing Director for the Levi’s brand in Southern Europe.
The mural’s next stops are in Milan and Madrid, where it will be on view from April 17-26 at the Università Statale as part of Milan Design Week, and from May 4-7 at Plaza Callao in Madrid, one of the busiest squares of the city.
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“It was great to experience the installation in such a busy and historical place in Paris. I can’t wait to see the reactions in Milan and Madrid,” concludes Berry.
It’s not the first time Berry has collaborated with Levi’s – in 2022 the artist unveiled a work made especially for the Levi Strauss Museum, creating three portraits of Chilean musicians: Jorge González, Ana Tijoux and Roberto Márquez de Illapu, who performed at the Lollapalooza Festival for Levi’s Chile. They have now found a permanent place in the Plaza Egaña metro station in Santiago, where hundreds of thousands of people pass by.
During his stay in Chile, Berry also had the opportunity to see piles of old clothes in the Atacama Desert – an experience so eye-opening that Berry decided to make a documentary about it called Fast Fashion’s Graveyard, which will be shown in will appear shortly. “Denim is just full of dualities – it’s amazing, but also problematic,” he comments on the environmental impact of the material.
