May 15, 1853 in San Francisco were the world's first miracle pants, and May 20, 1973 to their creator was issued a patent on the official metal rivets with the inscription (Levi Strauss and Company, San Francisco).
Suffice it accidentally born jeans - a phenomenon that deserves careful study, the dream of all couturiers of the world (not even by accident so refined creator as YSL, did not hide his emotions when he spoke of jeans) and incredibly lucrative business. In these tight trousers of blue cloth with rubbing assembled an incredible set of positive qualities - they are durable, comfortable, practical, sexy, natural effect of natural fabrics and totally versatile.
Oddly enough, the brightest in the world of American character invented poor German Jew. Loeb Strauss (according to some other sources - Leib Strauss) was born into a large Jewish family in the Bavarian village of Buttenheim. In 1847, after the death of his father's family emigrated to America, where the young trader decided to change to a more harmonious name - Levi Strauss, which is now famous all over the world. However, income from petty trade gave meager income, and the younger members of the family finally got sick "gold fever" that promised quick riches of millions of people.
However, plans for a quiet and modest young man Levi Strauss were quite innocent - he just wanted to open a small shop selling canvas tent that comes from New York, his brothers. Things were not shaky or rolls, until the day when one of the miners on the timid about ordering in the shop itself tent erupted rough abuse and complaints that the mines have nothing to wear - no pants not withstand the rigors of everyday life miners.
Another would, perhaps, have missed these words go in one ear. But not Ostrich - and this is forever inscribed his name in history. Dropped everything, he dragged astonished miner to a neighbor, the tailor, taking with him a piece of original brown canvas. Two hours later, he won a gold digger of the first in the world of jeans. A week later the rumor about the strong and comfortable pants spread throughout California, and Straus besieging crowd of customers.
In this case, Levi Strauss very carefully listened to everything, even the most absurd, wishes buyers - pants should have double stitching, pockets to withstand the weight of the golden sand belts should stay on solid hinges: When Strauss produced the first batch of pants with all these wishes, began Shaped madness. Which, however, is still ongoing.
By the way, the name jeans acquired much later. The fact that the brothers Levi does not cope with the increased supply of canvas fabric and had to order in Genoa, famous for its thick coarse cloth. The name of this town in the transcription of the Americans and became the name of the pants - "dzhinz." Some time later, Strauss began purchasing tight blue serge in France, in Nimes. Thus was born another common name denim - "denim" (de Nim, ie "from Nimes").
However, no less famous metal rivets on jeans - the invention of another person. A native of Riga, Nevada tailor Jacob Davis guessed strengthen the pockets of jeans (which still could not withstand the weight of the golden sand) metal rivets on a horse harness. But the tailor did not have enough (as legend has it) $ 68 to buy the patent, and he offered to patent his invention together with Levi Strauss. He refused. So, 20 years after the invention of the famous pants, they finally got their classic look - low waist, five pockets, rear - double line of orange thread in the form of an arch, copper rivets, badge with the logo Levi "s and two horses trying break pants. These jeans were and still in the legendary series 501 (batch number).
Jeans have become iconic, branded clothing cowboy tough guys, they have become a key symbol of style "western" generated by Hollywood in the 30s. Jeans come in postwar Europe, along with an army of allies and American films. In the 60 years they have become a symbol of youth rebellion and favorite hippie clothes, and then conquered and the last bastion - the world of high fashion. And for all of half a century they have remained virtually unchanged. Only one radical innovation invaded the beginning of the last century is tuned creation of human thought - with the invention, the fastener "lightning" jeans began to sew with it (although the classic Levi "s still available only with the buttons).