Levi's Vintage Clothing SS20 Draws From Ingenious Soapbox Derby Drivers
A celebration of ’60s Californian cool.
Past Levi’s Vintage Clothing lookbooks have drawn from East Coast heritage and Jamaican styling, but for Spring/Summer 2020, LVC is taking cues from its hometown of San Francisco. Dubbed “Soapbox,” the new collection is inspired by ’60s and ’70s Bay Area history, especially the legendary soapbox derbies hosted by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
In 1975, the SF MoMA gave $250 USD to a array of local creatives for the creation of their idealized soapbox racer, yielding a chaotic and stunning assortment of handcrafted vehicles. Levi Strauss & Co. was one of the local businesses that sponsored the event, well-represented in the diverse wardrobes of the soapbox derby designers and racers. These garments inform LVC’s SS20 items, with plenty of bright pastel tones reinforcing the Californian attitude.
Retro denim overalls, paneled trucker jackets, boxy work shirts and plenty of selvedge jeans appear throughout the collection, offered in plenty of washed-out hues for an appropriately vintage feel. Reproductions of the original SF MoMA staff jacket offer thematic graphics, with T-shirts, sweaters and hoodies executed in appropriately retro boxy cuts that complement Levi’s timeless 501 and 505 denim jeans. Patterns include an all-over “JEANS” print, polka dots and lots of varied stripes, accented by patched trousers and color-blocked pullovers for maximum sunny weather appeal.
Elsewhere in California, Stüssy launched its own wide-ranging Spring 2020 collection.
