In honor of Levi’s 501 Day, Karla Welch has teamed up with Levi’s to put her own creative spin on a number of Levi’s classics—including the iconic Trucker jacket, and the even more iconic 501. “It’s all very customization focused,” says Welch of the collaboration, which she hopes will inspire others to dream up creative new ways to customize their Levi’s. “They’re original designs based on the restraints of utilizing a 501 or an existing Levi’s pattern.”
Along with two new versions of the 501—a wide-leg flare version and an original version with a shiny red patent leather back pocket—the collection includes a reversible Sherpa jacket, a boiler suit, a pleated jean, a red pocket Western shirt, an oversized cropped Trucker, and, of course, the leather fringe Trucker. Most of the pieces come in dark indigo denim—a nod to the idea that these pieces represent the future, rather than the present, of vintage clothing. “I wanted to imagine what the future of vintage was,” says Welch. “If people inhabit Mars 200 years from now, what are the kids going to wear? This idea of creating something that would eventually become an iconic piece of vintage clothing is the basis of the whole collection.”
Of course, there’s plenty of classic vintage influence as well. The Levi’s x karla Fringe Trucker, for instance, was inspired by Karla’s own childhood love of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. And then there are the 1970s-esque Levi’s x karla Wide Leg 501s and Levi’s x karla Pleated Jeans, both of which take cues from vintage pieces Karla found while exploring the Levi’s archives. “It has this juxtaposition between vintage—the old, the familiar—and this future facing thing,” says Jonathan Cheung, Head of Design for Levi’s Strauss & Co. “And her riffing on the proportions propels this into the future. And hopefully, in the process, we will have created some future vintage pieces.”
Ultimately, though, it’s all about showcasing the incredible bandwidth of something as enduring as the Levi’s 501. “Good design always lasts,” says Welch. “I think it’s probably the most iconic piece of clothing there is. And it will withstand the test of time.”
Shop the Levi’s® and x karla Collection at xkarla.com
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