The jeans most likely come from the south of Europe, where the garment was especially popular among workers in the 19th century. Two cities are arguing about the geographical origin of jeans: Genoa and Nîmes.
Denim or Jeans?
The name ‘jeans’ is said to be derived from the French translation for the northern Italian city: Gênes. But Nîmes also lays claim to it. Denim actually means nothing more or less than ‘originating from Nîmes’. Kind of pre-modern Made in China So. But there is no doubt about who the father of the jeans is.
The German American Levi Strauss invented the modern version of the iconic trousers and patented it in 1873. And what was in fashion then? Right, pocket watches. Okay, hats too. But they don’t fit in that little pocket on your jeans.
The little pocket on your jeans
You probably don’t use the small pocket on your jeans, or you use it for small things like change or a key. Actually, it is intended for protecting pocket watches. But then why does Levi’s stick to it? Hardly anyone has a pocket watch these days (not counting hipsters).
The in house Levi Strauss & Co historian Tracey Panek explains: “It was already part of the oldest pair of jeans in our archive. In order to preserve the integrity of the first design, we want to keep the watch pouch.”
Oldest pair of jeans
The oldest pair of jeans in the world is just not in Levi’s archives, but until a few years ago it belonged to someone with a very expensive taste in clothing.
These pants above went for more than in 2017 $80,000 under the hammer and would be 124 years old. However, an older pair of jeans has recently been discovered.
In 2021, Brent Underwood left the YouTube channel Ghost Town Living caverns in a gold mine. What he found wasn’t a nugget of gold, but it was close. The Levi’s jeans he used to climb back up are said to have been made in 1879. And even if the jeans aren’t in the best condition anymore, it won’t have done him any harm.
Other facts about the jeans
- Like filter cigarettes and chocolate, jeans were popularized in Europe by American soldiers during World War II
- You can make 225 jeans from 1 bale of cotton
- The color of jeans is dark blue (indigo for the know-it-all) because it hides dirt better than lighter colors
- Today, 50 percent of all jeans are made in Asia
- The first brand label ever sewn to a garment was a red Levi’s flag on the back pocket of the pants
- 1.2 billion jeans are bought worldwide every year
This story was previously published by our colleagues at Manners .