There’s no better ambassador for the Levi’s® brand than an LS&Co. employee. And there’s no better example of that than Jakob Hendrickx, a retail trainer based in Europe.
For the past few months, Jakob has been working with the Levi Strauss Museum in Buttenheim, Germany in his spare time to create an exhibition of Miss Levi’s®, a collection of women’s apparel that was available in Europe in the 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibit, called “Miss Levi’s®: Much More Than Just Blue,” showcases items preserved from our former Frankfurt office, as well as items from Jakob’s personal collection. Available for viewing in the new wing of the Levi Strauss Museum, the fascinating exhibit not only reflects the history of the Levi’s® brand and the women’s movement, but also ‘60s and ‘70s pop culture.
Both decades were a time of experimentation and rapid change in fashion as clothing became more casual, individual and democratic than ever before. It was a rule-breaking era when youth subcultures drove fashion trends. In the UK, for example, punks shattered previous ideals of beauty. At the other end of the spectrum was the rise of disco style, in which glamorous clothes made from polyester, lurex and satin combined with platform shoes and oversized accessories. And while hot pants trended in the early ’70s, they soon made way for the folkloric look of embroidered blouses, ponchos, dirndl skirts and crocheted garments.
As the exhibit shows, the zeitgeist and lifestyle of the 1970s were deeply rooted in the Miss Levi‘s® collection. Designed specifically for the European market, it was anything but classic. Wildly patterned and colorful bell-bottoms made of denim, corduroy and polyester — as well as matching tops and jackets — characterized the youthful collection.
The exhibition is open through September 8 — be sure to catch the show if your summer plans take you to the Buttenheim region!
