Levi’s® Engineered Jeans™ revolutionized the denim industry with their unorthodox fit and progressive style when it first launched in 1999. They were an innovative approach to denim that used twisted side seams and a darted yoke to create a more ergonomic fit – and they’ve since become something of a legend ever since.
In honor of its 20th anniversary, the Levi’s® brand has launched a new LEJ collection for Spring/Summer 2019 with an updated range based on the “engineered concept” while taking a forward-thinking approach to design. As part of a global campaign, the new collection has so far launched in Italy and Asia and will roll out further worldwide in the coming months.
Here in Asia, the launch took place in the denim powerhouse of Tokyo, Japan, where close to 100 journalists and bloggers from Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia gathered to celebrate the release of a new and modernized version of the LEJ. The campaign is kicking off with two major Asian influencers – Japanese superstar Takuya Kimura and Chinese musician Leah Dou, daughter of Faye Wong, a leading singer-songwriter and actress in China.
The campaign features Takuya and Leah in a dance-off and celebrates the freedom to move in Levi’s® Engineered Jeans™. We sat down with the two celebs to get the inside scoop on their campaign shoot and what they think of Levi’s® Engineered Jeans™.
Q: How does it feel being ambassadors for the Levi’s® Engineered Jeans™?
Takuya: It’s great to be back. I was a Levi’s® brand ambassador in 1999. Now, I’m happy to be able to participate again along with Leah. When I first wore them 20 years ago, I thought they were extremely comfortable and allowed me to move easily. That feeling remains with the relaunch this time around.
Leah: Levi’s® has been very close to me since I was little. As a brand of jeans, Levi’s® is always top of mind for me. So, it’s really exciting working with the brand – and the jeans are so comfortable to wear!
Q: What do you like most about the Levi’s® brand?
Leah: That it’s real and authentic. I think about Levi’s® when I think about jeans. It brings a sense of warmth and familiarity. To me, the jeans that someone wears provides a peek into that individual’s personality.
Q: What is your first memory of Levi’s®?
Takuya: It was a pair of vintage jeans.
Leah: For me, it was a pair I bought from a thrift shop.
Q: What was it like working together on the campaign, particularly the dancing?
Takuya: It was fun and very interesting, especially given that Leah’s mother is a friend of mine.
Leah: I was terrified! Takuya-san is such a good dancer and I’ve always admired people who can express themselves through dance.
