Levi's RED 2014 by Amsterdam design team

[runner]

The first Levi’s® RED offering in seven years, the 2014 collection is titled Lined RED. It draws its inspiration from Levi’s® long history of lining many of the denim styles with cleanly finished blanket fabrics or sheep’s wool as early as 1879. Evident throughout the collection are various experiments with new types of garment lining that reveal the beautiful balance between durability and delicacy. Although the focus is on the lining, the collection is also notable for its playful approach to fit, construction and detailing. As with previous Levi’s® RED collections, Lined RED references Levi’s® archival garments but reinterprets virtually every element. The result is a series of radical new constructions that suggest the Levi’s® jeanswear of the future.



The Denim
The 2x1 hemp 8oz. denim is woven with a fine spun yarn and has a super wide plain selvage, which can not be seen unless the garment is taken apart. The shade is a natural indigo mid shade. Each of the panels is pre-washed separately to give a slight difference and irregularity to individual garments.

The Fits
The loose and rounded fits are based on early Levi’s® Jeans patterns from the 1870’s and 1880’s, when “waist overalls” were worn as a protective outer layers by working men of the American West. Because the fits move about on the body, the clothes are comfortable in a range of temperatures, making them useful in a seasonal climate. Many of the details such as the pocket scoops and back pocket shapes also come from Levi Strauss and Co.’s Duck and Denim styles from 1873 and 1874. Most of the jeans styles work well on both men and women, but some pieces are designed specifically for women, like the Rainbow Skirt, the Apron Dress and the Ladybird and Bolder Jackets.

The Lining
Every denim garment is fully lined with indigo-colored cotton silk and a super light cotton flannel wadding. The feel of the silk next to the skin is an experience in itself. There is a beautiful balance between the durability and strength of the denim and the delicacy of the fine silk.

The Sundries
The copper rivets are the same size as the concealed rivet on the Original 501® Jean. The shank button is a dark gun metal, coated in a smokey white resin.

The Patch
The over-sized cotton back patch was inspired by child-sized vintage Levi’s® garments, when proportion made detail and sundries sometimes appear too large.

A Brief History
First introduced in 1999, Levi’s® RED is a premium concept collection by Levi Strauss and Co. that is dedicated to reinventing the iconic Levi’s® 5-pocket jean and proposing new forms and aesthetics for jeanswear. Levi’s® RED garments are notorious for being experimental, technical, and complicated to manufacture. They are also some of the most sought-after collectors items from Levi’s® recent history. Levi’s® RED is not produced every season. When it is, the garments are only available in a select few of the best shops around the world.

from levisred.net


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images from openers.jp

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[Scott]

nice to see RED back but sadly it was hardly ever available outside europe and japan.

 

[runner]

seems like this time it was the US that got this stuff first, but it's gone now according to the site.
it just arrived in japan last weekend. the sales talk of mr kurino at united arrows, one of the few who bought it, described this as "something else that has come after everything else, not nostalgia nor gaudiness".

 

[Scott]

they did have a pop-up store in NYC for RED till march 2nd so maybe from that they might expand the distribution in the states. i think it is something else indeed....i really like what i see. very much the RED i remember when it debuted in 99. the sack pieces and the cotton stuff i like very much and of course the quilted poncho piece....and the little booties.

 

[softgrey]

the fact that everything is lined in silk is nice...
definitely haven't seen that on any other denim collection...

but i am not crazy about the shade of blue...
it's not deep enough...

they do seem like they would be super soft and comfy though...
i wonder if they would stay rolled up or if the silk and soft denim means that the rolls would fall out when you walk around...
hmmm

 

[softgrey]

on the site, some of the mens' jeans look like each panel is really blatantly a different shade of blue...
that seems somehow more interesting to me...

overall, i do think this looks pretty nice...
and i'm sure it's even better in person because it is truly luxurious...

i always complain that denim isn't that comfortable because it's rather thick and stiff, but this is just the opposite, isn't it...?

sorry i missed that pop up...
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[Scott]

that's why i always felt a bit jealous we stateside never had this line accessible to us because it felt so different than the typical denim lines...i'm like you softie...never been a jeans person,so this appealed to me in a big way.

 

[taupe]

LNCC certainly had some vintage red pieces and also this ... not sure if they have much or any left. I was a huge fan of this label when i was much younger, i bought so many pieces during my teenage years from hannon shop in home town Aberdeen.