Levi’s just revived one of its rarest 501 jeans from the 1940s using Japanese selvedge denim and it’s packed with details you don’t see anymore
The limited-edition, Made-in-Japan 501 brings back one of the most fascinating transitional designs in Levi's history
If you thought people had stopped getting excited about a pair of jeans, Levi's latest release suggests otherwise.
The brand has brought back an exceptionally rare version of its legendary 501, recreating the model produced in 1942 with wonderfully nerdy period details.
The Levi's Vintage Clothing 1942 501 is already listed as sold out in the US, where it launched for $295, but European denim fans haven't had their chance yet.
Levi's Vintage Clothing has confirmed that the limited-edition jeans will arrive in Europe on 3 September.
Exactly how many pairs will be available remains unclear, but given what's happened across the Atlantic, this probably isn't a release you'll want to buy in the next few days.
Caught between eras
The 1942 model comes from a transitional point in the jeans' evolution, when Levi's had started using heavier denim but some of the older workwear construction details hadn't yet disappeared.
Levi's has recreated it stitch-for-stitch using 12oz red selvedge denim, with an adjustable cinch back, hidden rivets, and an inverted yoke seam.
The jeans also feature single-needle arcuate stitching, a single-sided Big E Red Tab and the familiar Two Horse leather patch.
The limited-edition pairs are hand-numbered and made in Japan from Japanese denim.
It's that cinch back that really gives the jeans away from a distance, and it's also my favourite detail.
Sitting across the rear waistband, the buckle is a reminder of the 501's workwear origins and a feature that would soon disappear as wartime restrictions changed how Levi's constructed its jeans.
The resulting design is a slightly strange collision of eras, combining substantially heavier denim with details that were already on their way out.
That's precisely why the original 1942 examples are so interesting, and why Levi's Vintage Clothing has chosen to resurrect them.
Your second chance
European pricing hasn't appeared on Levi's UK site yet, although UK retailer Stuarts London has listed the 1942 501 at £345 (~$468 / €403 / AU$660).
European denim specialist Cultizm lists it at €379 and says its stock will launch at midnight CET on 3 September.
Cultizm is also limiting purchases to one pair per customer, which gives you some idea of the scarcity surrounding the release.
That said, many previous Levi's Vintage Clothing releases are still available on the UK and US sites, so the new model may not sell out immediately.
Again, it's also possible they will.
[via Gear Patrol]
