Who is Levi Strauss?
Levi Strauss was a German-born American businessman who founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans. His firm, which was called Levi Strauss & Co., began in 1853 in San Francisco, California.
Levi Strauss was a German-born American businessman who founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans. His firm, which was called Levi Strauss & Co., began in 1853 in San Francisco, California.
Founding company
When Strauss heard about the Gold Rush, he immediately left for San Francisco to
make his fortune. He has always wanted to start a business, so he planned to
manufacture tents for people arriving in California who worked as miners. When
nobody wanted to buy this product, Strauss decided to make rugged pants. He
noted that miners needed rugged pants to complete their work, so he decided to
use canvas to make waist-high overalls by using a tailor sew pants that was made
from sturdy brown canvas he had brought with him on his journey; he was very
confident miners would buy his rugged pants. Later on, Strauss switched from
using canvas to using a tough cotton fabric from France called Serge de Nimes.
This material's name was shortened and eventually became known as denim, which
thus lead Strauss in founding his first company. In 1860, Strauss strengthened
the pockets of his trousers with copper rivets. In 1873, he invented and licensed the blue denim trousers that are more commonly known as jeans today. He arrived in a bustling, noisy San Francisco, establishing a dry-goods business under his own name and also serving as the West Coast representative of the family’s New York firm (Strauss's older brother's business). In 1863, the company was renamed “Levi Strauss & Co.”. Then, in 1866, Levi moved the headquarters to larger quarters at 14-16 Battery Street, where it remained for the next forty years.
In his mid-thirties, Levi was already a well-known figure around the city. He was known as a risk-taker and for being very persistent even through the rough and hard times his company fell during certain time periods, such as the Great Depression. Strauss was active in the business and cultural life of San Francisco, and he actively supported the Jewish community. He belonged to Temple Emanu-El, the city's first synagogue, and he was a contributor to the gold medal given annually to the best Sabbath School student. Despite his reputation as an important business man, he insisted that his employees call him Levi, and not Mr. Strauss. Strauss's determination in helping his older brothers and their dry-goods business in New York led him to make rugged pants for miners.
Bibliography
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/strauss.htm
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/levi-strauss-co-history/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWstrauss.htm
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
http://www.biography.com/people/levi-strauss-9496989
make his fortune. He has always wanted to start a business, so he planned to
manufacture tents for people arriving in California who worked as miners. When
nobody wanted to buy this product, Strauss decided to make rugged pants. He
noted that miners needed rugged pants to complete their work, so he decided to
use canvas to make waist-high overalls by using a tailor sew pants that was made
from sturdy brown canvas he had brought with him on his journey; he was very
confident miners would buy his rugged pants. Later on, Strauss switched from
using canvas to using a tough cotton fabric from France called Serge de Nimes.
This material's name was shortened and eventually became known as denim, which
thus lead Strauss in founding his first company. In 1860, Strauss strengthened
the pockets of his trousers with copper rivets. In 1873, he invented and licensed the blue denim trousers that are more commonly known as jeans today. He arrived in a bustling, noisy San Francisco, establishing a dry-goods business under his own name and also serving as the West Coast representative of the family’s New York firm (Strauss's older brother's business). In 1863, the company was renamed “Levi Strauss & Co.”. Then, in 1866, Levi moved the headquarters to larger quarters at 14-16 Battery Street, where it remained for the next forty years.
In his mid-thirties, Levi was already a well-known figure around the city. He was known as a risk-taker and for being very persistent even through the rough and hard times his company fell during certain time periods, such as the Great Depression. Strauss was active in the business and cultural life of San Francisco, and he actively supported the Jewish community. He belonged to Temple Emanu-El, the city's first synagogue, and he was a contributor to the gold medal given annually to the best Sabbath School student. Despite his reputation as an important business man, he insisted that his employees call him Levi, and not Mr. Strauss. Strauss's determination in helping his older brothers and their dry-goods business in New York led him to make rugged pants for miners.
Bibliography
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventors/strauss.htm
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/levi-strauss-co-history/
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWstrauss.htm
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
http://www.biography.com/people/levi-strauss-9496989