Levi Strauss Changed The World Of Denim
Levi Strauss, the visionary behind the iconic Levi’s brand, transformed workwear into one of the most recognizable fashion staples of all time. He began his career as a dry goods merchant in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Selling a variety of supplies, including denim fabrics, to create workwear pants for miners and laborers.
One of his loyal customers, tailor Jacob Davis from Reno, Nevada, crafted durable work pants using Strauss’s denim fabrics. Davis also introduced the groundbreaking idea of reinforcing these pants with rivets for added strength. Recognizing its potential, he partnered with Levi Strauss, and together they patented this rivet innovation on May 20, 1873. Together they changed the future of denim forever.
From that moment on, Levi Strauss helped shape denim culture, setting new standards that inspired countless brands to follow in his footsteps. Today, Levi’s is sold in approximately 50,000 retail locations across more than 110 countries, solidifying its place as a global fashion powerhouse.
But how well do you know the man who revolutionized denim? Let’s dive into 5 fascinating facts about Levi Strauss that you may not have heard before!

A life-size bronze statue of Levi Strauss, created by artist Rainer Kurka, in front of the museum in Buttenheim, Germany.
5 Facts About The Denim Legend
1) Levi Strauss: An Immigrant From Buttenheim, Germany
Levi Strauss, originally named Löb Strauß, was born on February 26, 1829, in Buttenheim, a small German village in the Franconia region of Bavaria. Today, his original birthplace has been transformed into a museum that celebrates his life and remarkable journey.
Read more about the Levi Strauss Museum in Buttenheim here!
Levi Strauss was the son of Hirsch Strauss and Hirsch’s second wife, Rebecca Strauss. In 1848, at the age of 19, he traveled with his mother and two sisters to the United States in the hope of having a better life. When he arrived in New York, after a 6-week long journey crossing the ocean, he joined his brothers Jonas and Louis. They had begun a wholesale dry goods business. Their business was located in New York City at 108 Liberty Street in Manhattan and was called J. Strauss Brother & Co.
Just a year later after his arrival in New York, in 1848 gold was discovered near San Francisco. As the family wanted to expand their dry goods business, Levi Strauss moved to the West Coast in 1853. Soon after his arrival, he opened a successful wholesale business for cloth and haberdashery on Sacramento Street during the Gold Rush period.
2) Levi Strauss: Wearing A Suit Instead Of Denim
Levi Strauss is the founding father of the Levi’s brand and is seen by many as the man who created jeans in general. Like most businessmen in the 1800’s, he preferred to be dressed in suits rather than in denim. In fact, there are no old pictures of him dressed in denim. But, denim, especially until the 1950’s and 1960’s wasn’t the ready-to-go suit to wear to work. This slowly changed during the 1970’s and later. Nowadays most people can go to work denim style, but it still depends on your daily job, of course. The businessman Levi Strauss was always dressed sharply in a styleful suit.


3) Levi Strauss: The Revolutionist
Levi Strauss has a very important revolution on his name together with tailor Jacob Davis. Their rivet patent represents maybe one of the most important parts of denim history. No one could imagine that this little copper rivet with a diameter of 9.6 mm would make such an impact. Even today!
The idea of the rivet patent started when Reno, Nevada-based tailor Jacob Davis came up with the idea in 1871-2 to use the same rivets as he used to strengthen horse blankets on workwear pants. This idea started after a woman complaint that her husband ripped his jeans constantly while carrying (heavy) rocks in his pockets. So, on weak points, he decided to use these small copper nails to make them stronger. This so they would last longer. As Jacob Davis didn’t have the roughly $68,- to pay for the patent he reached out to his fabric supplier Levi Strauss. At this point he didn’t make jeans yet. Levi Strauss had been a dry goods wholesaler in San Francisco for 20 years when Davis approached him about his great new system for making sturdy men’s work pants with metal rivets.
Together they got the patent on the 20th of May in 1873. This patent is known as No. 139,121: ‘Fastening Pocket-Openings’. Nowadays each, or almost all, pairs of jeans feature rivets. This small rivet set a whole new standard within the denim industry.
Read more about the history of the rivet here!
4) Levi Strauss: The Philanthropist
Levi Strauss was a highly successful businessman who remained deeply committed to giving back to the San Francisco community. His dedication to philanthropy led to the creation of the Levi Strauss Foundation. This foundation was officially founded in the early 1850s by company leaders Walter Haas Sr., Walter Haas Jr., Peter Haas Sr., and Daniel Koshland.
Just a year after arriving in San Francisco, Strauss made his first donation to the Orphan Asylum Society of the city of San Francisco. As his business flourished, so did his charitable contributions, with major gifts supporting organizations like the Eureka Benevolent Society and the Hebrew Board of Relief. In 1897, he funded twenty-eight scholarships at the University of California, Berkeley. And half of which were awarded to women, a progressive move for the time.
Beyond revolutionizing denim, Strauss was known for his generosity, supporting orphanages, education, and the establishment of San Francisco’s first synagogue. Even after his passing in 1902, his legacy of giving endured through his company’s ongoing philanthropic efforts.
Levi Strauss left an indelible mark not only on fashion but also on American culture and social progress.

5) Levi Strauss: The Man That Created The Most Iconic Jeans Style
Levi Strauss launched the Levi’s denim brand after securing the patent for riveted jeans in 1873, marking 152 years since its inception. In 1890, the brand introduced the iconic 501 jeans. A design that has evolved over the years while maintaining its signature appeal.
Despite numerous updates, the 501 remains one of the best-selling and most recognizable denim styles worldwide. With its classic straight-leg fit, button fly, and five-pocket design, it’s a wardrobe staple that millions have worn over the decades. A true denim icon!