Levi's
Levi Strauss & Co. · United States
Levi's is the denim brand of Levi Strauss & Co., the San Francisco company founded in 1853 whose 1873 patent with Jacob Davis created the riveted blue jean. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange and led by chief executive Michelle Gass since 2024, it remains the best known jeans brand in the world.
| Founded | 1853, San Francisco |
|---|---|
| Founder | Levi Strauss |
| Owner | Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) |
| Chief executive | Michelle Gass (since 2024) |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, United States |
| Signature product | 501 jeans |
| Website | levi.com |
What is Levi's?
Levi's is the flagship brand of Levi Strauss & Co., a publicly listed apparel company headquartered at Levi's Plaza in San Francisco. It sells jeans, jackets, tops and accessories for men, women and children. The company also owns Beyond Yoga and the Denizen and Signature value brands. Michelle Gass has been president and chief executive since 2024.
History
Bavarian-born Levi Strauss opened a dry goods business in San Francisco in 1853 to supply stores in the American West. In 1873 the company and tailor Jacob Davis received a patent for using metal rivets to strengthen work trousers, the origin of blue jeans. The Two Horse trademark followed in 1886, women's jeans in 1934 and the Red Tab on the back pocket of the 501 in 1936. The company went public in 1971, returned to private ownership in 1985 and listed again in 2019. In 1991 it adopted Terms of Engagement, an early supplier code of conduct. In 2023 the 501 marked its 150th anniversary.
Products and positioning
Levi's occupies the mid-market with an iconic heritage core, led by the 501, alongside newer fits, the trucker jacket and a growing tops and womenswear offer. In 2011 it introduced more than 20 water-saving finishing techniques.
Business model and distribution
The brand is sold through wholesale partners including department stores and specialty retailers, and increasingly direct to consumers through company-operated stores and e-commerce. The group has been reshaping its portfolio around the Levi's brand and sold Dockers to Authentic Brands Group.
Levi's and technology
- 2013: opening of the Eureka Innovation Lab for product development.
- 2018: Project F.L.X., which digitised denim finish design and development.
- 2017: a connected 'smart' trucker jacket developed with a technology partner.
Why it matters
Levi's effectively defined the jeans category and remains a benchmark for heritage brand management, supplier standards and the shift from wholesale to direct-to-consumer retail in denim.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Levi's?
Levi's is the main brand of Levi Strauss & Co., which has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker LEVI since its second IPO in 2019. It sells the Levi's brand worldwide alongside Beyond Yoga and the Denizen and Signature lines.
Who invented blue jeans?
Levi Strauss & Co. and tailor Jacob Davis received a US patent in 1873 for riveted work trousers, which is generally regarded as the invention of blue jeans.
