Pioneer of the Cool

As one’s stylistic tastes mature, one’s relatively low-priced denim preferences tend to shift from your American Eagles, Gaps, Guess’ and other brands that rely on contrived concepts of fashionable cool, to brands that have earned their identity through blood, sweat and generations of legendary figures. Levi’s has been producing denim clothing since the 1870s, when it was used primarily for labour, with the copper rivets punched into the material in places where wear typically occurred (around the pockets, crotch). Though introduced in the 1920s, Levi’s modern jeans became the official jeans of youth subculture in the latter half of the 20th century, being the bottoms of choice for everyone from greasers to mods, to hippies, to punks.

Denoted by numbers coded in the 500s, Levi’s offers a wide array of fits that has serviced each of these subcultures and more, from punk skinny 510s, to “dad-jeans” 550s, bootcuts 517s, and the brand’s iconic, stand alone, 501s. Though Levi’s tend to fade in an out of popular tastes, particularly among modern youth, it is never too far from the fashionable fore, and always remains as constant as the symbolic chevron sewn onto the back pockets.

Reinforcing its role as the longstanding lower half of the official uniform of undeniable style, Levi’s has recently initiated a unique promotional campaign under the banner of Levi’s Pioneer Sessions. Working with a number of today’s most interesting/talented musicians, the Pioneer Sessions engages these artists in the re-crafting of classic songs that have helped define Levi’s continuing era of cool. These songs, freely available for download, include Ernie Hines’ “Our Generation” (covered by John Legend feat. The Roots), Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” (covered by Jason Mraz), and even the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” (covered by Passion Pit). Additional featured artists include Raphael Saadiq, the Swell Season, and Nas.

Now, of course, variety is necessary, and one must not solely pledge allegiance to the Levi’s chevron, slips are permissible. After all, even Gap, founded in 1969, started as hip San Francisco store that sold only Levi’s and LPs.

Glen Hansard and Maria Irglova of The Swell Season.