The history of jeans is a story – at times obscure – that fascinates many fashion enthusiasts. Just six months ago, we were also in Genoa, invited by Tela Genova and Regenesi, for a real event that revolved around the roots of denim. Today, we tell the story of jeans through the perspective of Levi’s – the quintessential jeans brand, the most iconic one – which, on the occasion of Milano Design Week, decided to take part in the busiest week of the year with an exhibition at the MUDEC’s Space of Cultures. Entitled Icons, Innovations & Firsts and curated by Levi’s Historian Tracey Panek, the exhibition is a well-defined journey into the heritage of the American brand.

The exhibition touches on various points of Levi’s history. There are garments worn by Steve Jobs and the Menlo Cossack Albert Einstein – a certainly curious combination – to jeans made with the Warhol Factory, all part of the Icons category. In the Innovations section, we find Levi’s futuristic side, where standout pieces include the Google Jacquard Trucker along with the Engineered Jean. Finally, we start from the beginning with Firsts, the section where we find the first garments preserved in Levi’s archive: the first 9Rivet jeans dating back to either 1873 or 1984, Lot 201, and the oldest pair for women, Lot 401 Viola.

In short, Icons, Innovations & Firsts is a way of telling Levi’s history that is informative and well-structured, relying on the brand’s rich heritage that continues to influence the world of jeans.