A Complete Unknown is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated films of the year, hitting Italian theaters on January 17th. Produced by Searchlight Pictures and directed by James Mangold, the film delves into the life of Bob Dylan, his arrival in the West Village, and the beginnings of his iconic career. Timothée Chalamet stars as Dylan, committing over a year to this unique role, which required him to hone both his acting and musical performance skills.
The film’s costume designer, Arianne Phillips, shared the monumental effort behind the project, which involved 4,500 extras and a team of eight tailors. Iconic American brand Levi’s also played a crucial role, collaborating with Phillips to faithfully recreate the fit of the young Bob Dylan’s jeans. The team meticulously studied vintage styles to ensure historical accuracy.
A Faithful Reconstruction
During research for the 2019 Levi’s Vintage Clothing Folk City collection, the brand’s Design Director, Paul O’Neill, came across A Freewheelin’ Time, the memoir of Bob Dylan’s former girlfriend, Suze Rotolo. In the book, Rotolo (portrayed in the film by Elle Fanning under the fictional name Sylvie Russo) recalls adding extra fabric to Dylan’s jeans in the early 1960s so he could wear them over his boots. This detail, particularly intriguing, predates Levi’s official introduction of bootcut jeans by several years.
This modification is evident in archival photographs, where Dylan’s jeans clearly display the added insert. The cover of his fourth LP, Another Side of Bob Dylan, is a prime example, and this detail is prominently featured in the film.
Seizing the opportunity, Levi’s incorporated the jeans into the Levi’s Vintage Clothing x A Complete Unknown capsule collection—a pair of 1955 501 jeans with bootcut inserts. The collection also includes the “D” Belt and the Clothing Suede Jacket.
Mirroring the film, the capsule collection captures the romantic essence of Dylan’s story. Packaged beautifully with Dylan’s lyrics, the jeans and belt come with several nods to his legacy. These include the sheet music for Girl from the North Country, a New Friend tag referencing the iconic Subterranean Homesick Blues film, and a typed slip hidden in the watch pocket of the jeans that reads: “I’ll let you be in my dreams, if I can be in yours,” one of Dylan’s earliest lyrics.
To complete the capsule, Levi’s Vintage Clothing recreated Dylan’s classic suede trucker jacket from the early 1960s. Presented in a box with the sheet music for A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, a Dig Yourself tag, and a photograph of Timothée Chalamet wearing the full outfit, the jacket is a faithful reproduction. Like the 501 jeans, it features detailed annotations inside the pocket, including the label A Complete Unknown and notes on the costume change and scene in which it appears.
This collaboration is tailor-made for both Bob Dylan fans and vintage enthusiasts, particularly those with an affinity for 1960s style. Coinciding with the film’s release in Italy on January 17, 2025, the limited-edition A Complete Unknown collection will be available on levi.com.
