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Levi’s Quietly Brings Back One of Its Rarest Pairs of 501 Jeans from WWII

The year is 1942, war is raging across Europe and blue jeans are about to change forever. But for now, the 501 is caught between eras.

Close-up of dark blue Levi's 501 XX denim jeans back with leather patch and adjustable buckle strap.Levi’s Vintage Clothing
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By Jack Seemer

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The year is 1942, war is raging across Europe and blue jeans are about to change forever.

Like many American businesses, Levi’s adapted to wartime rationing (mandated by the US government) by streamlining its designs. The 501 was no exception.

Dark indigo Levi's 501 XX jeans with tan stitching and leather patch on the back waistband worn by a person.
Early pairs of 501s carried a back cinch, which went away in the 1940s following WWII.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing

Buttons lost their logo. Legs became tighter in an effort to save fabric. And the classic back cinch, used in combination with a belt, simply went away.

In just a few years, the 501 would become a different garment entirely. But for now, it’s caught between eras.

Levi’s Vintage Clothing is celebrating this period by reissuing one of the rarest pairs of jeans in its archive.

Folded dark blue Levi's 501 XX jeans with leather brand patch and care instruction cards in back pocket.
The LVC 1942 501 Jeans are an homage to the denim Levi’s manufactured in the early 1940s.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing
Man wearing dark raw denim jeans with cuffs, a white t-shirt, and black low-top sneakers standing sideways.
The jeans are highly limited, with availability reserved for the US and Japan at launch.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing

Releasing in limited numbers, the LVC 1942 501 Jeans features thick selvedge denim sourced from Japan, outfitted with period-correct details found on pairs from the early ’40s.

There’s the cinch back, of course, as well as hidden rivets. The yoke seam also runs inverted, while the red tab features the coveted Big E found on some of Levi’s most famous vintage pairs.

Dark indigo Levi's 501XX jeans with visible back pocket stitching, red Levi's tab, and leather brand patch.
The reissues carries the coveted Big E tab on the right pocket.
Levi’s Vintage Clothing

Availability and pricing

Unfortunately, the reissue will do little to make the jeans any less elusive. Pairs are highly limited at launch, with availability reserved for US and Japan.

According to an Instagram caption posted by Levi’s Vintage Clothing, some pairs will go on sale in Europe starting September 3.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Db_I-oGyh/?hl=en&img_index=1
About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.

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