STYLE AND CULTURE

CULT ITEM: DENIM JACKET

By Style Feed Staff, March 22, 2019

Since its inception in the late 1870s, Levi Strauss’ original riveted denim jacket has become a permanent part of the menswear uniform. It transcends seasons, trends and style tribes and has been adopted by everyone from cowboys to couture houses. Here’s a look at how this versatile piece of gear has been dyed, decorated and deconstructed, yet has remained a priceless piece of Americana.

A picture of a stret styler wearing a denim chore jacket by Levi's.

Picture: Getty

Workwear staple

Early incarnations of the denim jacket as we know it include the Army’s "working blues" and the Navy’s "denim fatigues," as well as Levi’s original "blouse" design, worn largely by western workers (although the bleu de travail, or French worker jacket, is considered pretty much a precursor to Strauss’ outerwear innovations). Levi’s debuted its classic jacket, or "Lot #507," in the 30s as part of its Western Wear line and went on to develop the design into the Type II in 1953 and the Type III — or the trucker denim jacket — in 1962.

A picture of Elvis Presley wearing a denim jacket.

Picture: Rex

Cultural staple

The denim jacket first came into style prominence in the '50s, with famous faces like Elvis, James Dean and Marlon Brando establishing it as a culturally significant cut. It came to signify cool American style and was the unofficial uniform of the newly established teenage scene. By the '70s, it had become a part of the punk aesthetic as the rebels of London and New York badged, scribbled and painted over the iconic style in the name of anarchy. In the '80s, things got oversized and even acid washed as the jacket became a fashionable streetwear staple.

A picture of a model wearing a denim jacket.

Picture: IMAXtree

Couture staple

During the '90s, the denim jacket became a pivotal part of the collections of designers like Guess, Diesel and Calvin Klein as the streetwear aesthetic came into vogue. Fast forward to 2019, and fashion houses such as Balenciaga and Gucci are producing oversized, logo-print jean jackets coveted by street-stylers everywhere. Whether it’s colored, striped or given a high-fashion makeover, the denim jacket will always be a classic.