Levi’s® Celebrates 150 Years of Iconic 501® Stories From Cape Town to Johannesburg
Seeing locals make their unique mark on the 501® for its 150th anniversary.
This year, Levi’s® iconic 501® silhouette celebrated its 150th anniversary, giving the denim brand a moment to reflect on its remarkable legacy. The monumental anniversary celebrates the life of the denim jeans and the people—from rock stars to politicians to workers—who have embraced 501®s over the years. By repairing, customizing, and passing down the jeans from one generation to the next, it has become a blank canvas for self-expression, telling a global story that is celebrated each year on 501® Day.
To kick off this year’s festivities, Levi’s® took to Cape Town to host a First Thursdays soiree. Amongst the space, imagery from the local 501® campaign was exhibited against sculptures fashioned from repurposed jackets and trousers to set the tone of the night. As well as spotlighting the brand’s heritage, the event invited attendees to add their own chapter to the Levi’s® story with intimate customization booths and craft-led activities, designed to inspire personal creativity and self-expression.
Following on, Levi’s® hosted two workshops that tapped into the power of expression more closely. Exploring how decades of denim adaptations have become synonymous with building identity, the customization classes were held for Cape Town’s creatives with Haus of Strauss Africa’s master tailor William Phala and artist Romi Flowers. Here, attendees were invited to trade in their old jeans and put their stamp on a new pair of 501® jeans. From painting to distressing, each pair featured contemporary takes on techniques famously associated with denim-wearing countercultures.
On the official 501® Day – May 20 – celebrations continued at the hub for youth culture and creativity, Haus of Strauss Africa in Johannesburg. Here, one exhibition retraced the 150-year journey of the blue jeans, while another showcased the stories of local creatives Mziyanda Malgas, Amahle Zama and Wanda Lephoto. Each narrative revealed how these individuals used the 501® as a tool for unique self-expression.
Similar to the Cape Town event, attendees were invited to customize pairs of 501®s with a range of craft techniques. Honoring the brand’s commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, they were also given a discount on their next pair of 501®s in exchange for donating a pre-loved pair of denims – of any brand – to Clothes To Good. The initiative helps keep jeans out of landfills while promoting employment opportunities for women. Jeans that aren’t in a re-sellable condition are then upcycled and turned into new items such as toys.
For Levi’s®, these immersive experiences were not only a chance for locals to discover the endless possibilities of denim, but for the brand to unite with the South African creative community. It hopes to continue this positive social impact after the anniversary with various events and key activations in the pipeline. Until then, South Africans can join the Levi’s® movement by taking part in the Oldest 501® Hunt—a nationwide hunt for the oldest pair of 501® jeans, where fans will have the chance to win R15,000 ZAR by sharing their oldest pair and stories behind them.
To find out more about these events including the ongoing Oldest 501® Hunt, head to the Levi’s® website now.
