Levi’s LVC, which refers to Levi’s Vintage Clothing, is a retro brand under Levi’s. LVC also represents Levi’s past classics and glory. Unlike other retro brands, Levi’s LVC is replicating itself.
We can take the classic Levi's 501 jeans as an example:
When LVC reproduces these pants, they usually add 37, 44, and 66 before the 501 model number. Marks representing the era, such as 55501 and 66501, represent the style of the time that this pair of jeans was reproduced.
In order to restore the details of 501 in each era, Levi's overall production team had to reconstruct the time and space background of that year, cotton varieties, climate and soil, production machines and living conditions, in order to truly create each stitch, The meanings of rivets, buttons, leather labels, eagle-shaped arcs, red flags... show the characteristics formed by the differences between the ages. With the persistence of "authenticity" and sophisticated professionalism, they respond to the respect for jeans culture and restore the same look. , classic jeans that capture your authentic look.
First of all, cotton cultivation:
The cotton used to make pants is grown in the United States without the use of chemical pesticides. In addition, the fabric of pants in each vintage must use completely different cotton, which must be grown separately. Levi’s collaborates with American agricultural production areas to simulate the planting environment of the past to produce different cottons and present the most complete replica spirit.
Then fabric production:
The only fabric supplier of 501 jeans is produced by the "White Oak Textile Mill" under the top "Cone Mills Company" in the United States. Now We use looms left over from that time to make the Selvedge Denim fabric (red-edged denim) used in the entire range of Dry goods. "Conical Mills Company" is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. It was established in 1895 and went bankrupt in 2004. Its main products include denim, corduroy, velvet, etc. At that time, it had about 10,000 employees. By 1908, Is the world's largest denim producer. Its heavy-duty blue denim is known as the "King of Denim." It has produced and supplied denim fabrics to Levi Strauss Company since 1915. They were the exclusive supplier of fabric for Levi’s brand 501 jeans at the time.
LVC includes American and Japanese products. Most of the products made in the United States are mainly in primary colors and require very little washing. Levi’s Vintage Clothing (LVC) commemoratively resumed production at the 555 old factory in the United States in 1996, and gradually ceased production after 2000. American-made LVC fabrics and workmanship quality are the most stable, and because of the discontinuation of production, you really have to buy one less. Classic American products are particularly rare.
The fabric used in Nissan LVC is actually not as good as that produced in the United States, but its improvements in technology, meticulous workmanship, selection of accessories and hardware, as well as design and detail processing make it more attractive. The overall exquisiteness of Nissan's LVC products exceeds the original level of American products.
Here we want to focus on Nissan’s LVC. Since acquiring the right to re-enact Levi's Vintage Big E in the early 1990s, the Japanese fashion industry has been determined to elevate LVC to a very high level. Especially after the U.S. factory closed down and Japan obtained the full line of LVC production and design rights, and launched the 2001/2002 vintage 501 series frontline re-engraving, the status of LVC was suddenly elevated to the status of the bull king in the fashion industry. At the same time, the wash quality of Japanese jeans The quality is also considered to have reached a peak by the outside world. Levi's Vintage 501 series includes 1873, NEVADA, 125, 1917, 1922, 1933, 1937, 1944, 1947, 1954, 1955, 1966 and 1983.
But in 2004, seven models, 1873, NEVADA, 125, 1917, 1922, 1933 and 1983, were discontinued. It’s hard to keep LVC from becoming popular even if it’s limited edition and out of stock. (I would like to add one point here. After Japan got the right to reproduce the big E, the Japanese factory’s LVC main buckle had the number J22 or J09 printed on the back. The wash water label did not have metal anti-counterfeiting. Line. Starting in 2001, there were no marks on the back of the main button)
1983 was the end of a phase for Levi's. From then on, Levi's, regardless of any series, no longer uses denim fabrics, and the workmanship and sewing methods are quite different. Therefore, Levi's pants before 1983 are even more collectible. Based on the concept of complete vintage, the Japanese fashion industry carries out complete reproductions, no matter in terms of fabrics, workmanship or sewing methods. Therefore, if you want to buy LVC, it is recommended that you buy Nissan's LVC, because that is the most authentic LVC. For example, 54501 is the only zipper version of 501. The original version of the pants used zipper zippers. Japan used zipper zippers when they were reproduced, but the American factory's 54501 used Talon zippers.
The familiar big E was the red flag before 1966. After that, all red flags were changed to the lowercase E of "Levi's". Therefore, among L.V.C pants, big E’s 501 pants have a higher collection value than small E’s styles. In addition, there are 501XX with more LVC series, mainly 37501, 44501, 47501, 55501, and 66501. The back label of these pants will indicate 501XX. We often think these pants are 501 BIG E.
The way to distinguish them is as follows:
1. Leather trousers
2. Solitaire trousers
3. RED LINE
4. Elastic buckle with cloth
As long as it meets 3, it is authentic! If it matches 1 and 3, it means 44501 and 47501 in the 1940s; if it matches 2 and 3, it means 66501 of the 1960s; if it matches 3 and 4, it means 33501 and 37501 of the 1930s. Among them, 1 and 2 refer to the mark on the right waist of the pants; RED LINE is a kind of denim fabric, also called colored edge cloth, which is three times more expensive than ordinary denim fabrics; the elastic buckle of the cloth refers to the back waist Something above.
LVC66501-0035 is a replica of the 501 model from 1966. It can be considered as a collection, and you will be considered a true jeans lover!
Made in Japan, the tag has a price tag
The iconic two-horse genuine leather tag
The iconic red flag LVC has capital letters! LEVIS anti-counterfeit label
Distressed main buckle
Distressed rivets
Made in Japan on the polyester label
Iconic Back pocket, flying Haiou lines
Nowadays, if you open the legs of regular Levis 501 trousers, it is hard to see the classic red "red ears" on the inner strip of XX fabric. ,
Later, Levi's opened LVC replica factories all over the world. There are products produced in Turkey, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, and the LVC levels in different production areas vary greatly. The LVC made in Turkey is still relatively loyal to the original, but there are often gaps in design and pattern, and it is not as detailed as those made in Japan and the United States. However, the pattern and craftsmanship of the more common LVC made in Mexico and Dominican Republic are more unstable, and the LVC is more unstable. It is lower than the level that LVC should be.
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