How Levi's Plans to Stay Relevent for the Next 150 Years

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

"Very few denim brands have a named item that resonates with the past, the present, and, hopefully, the future," Levi's President James Curleigh tells Style.com. "At Levi's, we have multiple icons: We have the 501, we have the trucker jacket, we have the Western shirt, the one-pocket T-shirt." But Curleigh is quick to point out that it can be either a blessing or a curse—depending on your point of view. For him, it's brand recognition that he plans to tap for the next 150 years. Next up for Levi's is more in-house development at its SF-based innovation center, Eureka Lab. Sounds like Levi's, with Curleigh at the helm, is taking the startup approach. Will the brand find new significance in today's market? Only time will tell. Curleigh says it best: "We're being aggressively patient."
· The Past, Present, and Future of Denim [Style.com]
· Gap and Levi's Are Two of the World's Most Ethical Companies [Racked SF]