Sundown on the Union
Comments: 3
In the mid ’90s Levi’s was a client of mine for a couple of years. They have (or maybe had) a product development centre in Tokyo. It used to be full of really smart, dedicated people who obviously loved what they did and knew the history of casual fashion like nobody’s business. This was about the time that the company went from being the largest apparel maker in the world to not being the largest in the world, and as the realisation sank in that the company had been left behind, an unfocused sense of desperation seemed to descend from above. One by one I watched these designers leave, frustrated and disillusioned. By the time I stopped working for them, there were only a handful of people there I knew.
Things don’t look like they’re getting much better:
Levis are not wearing so well
thescotsman.co.ukBut while jeans today are more popular than ever, the manufacturer that made them famous, Levis Strauss and Co, is experiencing its toughest time in its 150-year history and has taken drastic steps to try to reverse its dwindling fortunes.
The company is to close its North American plants and cut nearly 2,000 jobs, a move that completes its long exit from the US manufacturing business that began more than 20 years ago.
From what I was told by designers at the company (not PR drones or management), the company spends a lot of money in the countries which produce its goods to build schools and day-care centres and other facilities. I hope that’s true and I hope it continues. I’m too old to care about which jeans I wear anymore, but it’s still sad to see that Levi’s will no longer be made in the USA.
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Posted to General Rants • 2003.09.28 (Sun) • 20:01
Comments
Posted by MJ 2003.09.29, 01:45
Hmmm….well maybe they could try not being so expensive, the Boy just bought me a pair of Type 1’s for 12,000 yen…that’s a bit ouch when compared to other labels.
It would be interesting to see the impact of the whole Type 1 thing though - the jackets sold out in 5 minutes practically and many people I know bought a pair of the jeans…
Posted by Adam Rice 2003.09.30, 00:20
Y’know, I’m old enough not to care what label is on my jeans, but I’ve come around to the belief that Levi’s really are better—they fit better (at least on me) and hold up better. Admittedly, I’m not dropping Y12,000 on them.
Posted by clientpars 2003.10.01, 14:50
Many manufacturers take additional money of only that well-known firm’s label put on them. But nevertheless, a lot of peole buy these trousers because of it.
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