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Vtg Levi's 501 STF Deadstock NWT Made in USA 36x32 Button 553 Rigid Raw Y2K
The edit ·
A pre-owned Levi's 501 piece, from the Y2K years. Buy the piece, not the promise. Condition, provenance and a maker's mark are worth more than a brand name alone.
The jean that named a category.
Founded in San Francisco in 1853 by Levi Strauss, who patented riveted denim work trousers with Jacob Davis in 1873. The 501 is the original blue jean.
Vintage Levi's are collected by the fade, the era and the factory. Big E red tabs, selvedge and pre-1971 details are the grail markers, and Japanese collectors led the way.
Why it's called that
Levi's 501
The Levi's 501 has carried its lot number since 1890. The numbers were assigned to the styles as the factory logged them, and 501 simply stuck.
What to look for
The red tab, big E versus small e, dates it, as does the selvedge edge and the care label. Fades made by a real body, not a factory, are worth the most.
How to wear it
Let the piece lead. Build the outfit or the room around it, not the other way round.
Asking price
$220
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