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1、Levis: The Legend of Denim 李维斯：牛仔世界的传奇 19世纪中叶，雅各布戴维斯和李维施特劳斯创造出了第一条李维斯牛仔裤，自那时起，李维斯牛仔裤就成了美国流行文化的一部分。在全球销售超过三十五亿条的李维斯牛仔裤不仅是时尚潮流的引领者，更是美国精神的典型服饰代表，它带有鲜明的符号象征意义独立、自由、冒险和性感。卓言 选 刘倩 注 mediumThe discovery at Sutters Mill set off the historic California Gold Rush of 1848 and changed the face of America. One
2、product of those heady times has become a part of American popular culture: Levis jeans. The durable denim pants were brought to market by Levi Strauss, a Jewish merchant living in San Francisco, to meet the needs of uncouth miners in Californias gold fields. Today, Levis jeans have evolved into a w
3、orld-recognized form of haute couture.Levi Strauss came to San Francisco in 1853, at the age of twenty-four, to open a west coast branch of his brother s New York business, selling dry goods, clothing, and household furnishings. He had spent a number of years learning the trade in New York after emi
4、grating there from his native Germany. He built his business into a very successful operation over the next twenty years, making a name for himself not only as a well-respected businessman, but as a local philanthropist as well.One of Levis many customers was a tailor named Jacob Davis. Originally f
5、rom Latvia, Jacob lived in Reno, Nevada, and regularly purchased bolts of cloth from the wholesale house of Levi Strauss & Co. Among Jacobs customers was a difficult man who kept ripping the pockets of the pants that Jacob made for him. Jacob tried to think of a way to strengthen the mans trousers,
6、and one day hit upon the idea of putting metal rivets at the points of strain, such as on the pocket corners and at the base of the button fly.These riveted pants were an instant hit with Jacobs customers and he worried that someone might steal this great idea. He decided he should apply for a paten
7、t on the process, but didnt have the $81 that was required to file the papers. He needed a business partner and he immediately thought of Levi Strauss.In 1872 Jacob wrote a letter to Levi to suggest that the two men hold the patent together. Levi, who was an astute businessman, saw the potential for
8、 this new product and agreed to Jacobs proposal. On May 20, 1873, the two men received patent no.139,121 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. That day is now considered to be the official “birthday” of blue jeans.With the patent secured, Levi hired Jacob Davis to oversee production of the rive
9、ted pants at the Levi Strauss & Co. San Francisco plant. Sometime during 1873, the first riveted clothing was made and sold. (the exact date was lost along with the company records in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire).The denim for the riveted work pants came from the Amoskeag Mill in Manc
10、hester, New Hampshire, a company known for the quality of its fabrics. Within a very short time, all types of working men were buying the innovative new pants and spreading the word about their unrivaled durability. Hard to imagine that back in 1885, when denim first established itself as a reliable
11、 work wear cloth for a working mans garmentthat a pair of Levi overalls cost $1.25. Brand new. Holding a patent on this process meant that for nearly twenty years, Levi Strauss & Co. was the only company allowed to make riveted clothing until the patent went into the public domain. Around 1890, thes
12、e pants were assigned the number 501, which they still bear today. When the patent expired, dozens of garment manufacturers began to imitate the original riveted clothing made popular by Levi Strauss & Co.萨特磨坊里金矿的发现揭开了1848年加利福尼亚州淘金热的历史性一页，同时也改变了美国的面貌。作为那段热血沸腾岁月的产物之一，李维斯牛仔裤已经成为美国流行文化的一部分。为了满足加利福尼亚的那些
13、大老粗金矿工人的需要，住在旧金山的犹太商人李维施特劳斯将这种结实耐磨的牛仔裤引进了市场。时至今日，李维斯牛仔裤已经逐渐演变成一种举世公认的高级时装。1853年，为了在西海岸替哥哥在纽约的生意成立一间分店，24岁的李维斯特劳斯来到了旧金山，出售干货、服装以及家具用品。从祖国德国移民到美国后，他已经在纽约学习了多年的生意经。在后来的20年间，他将生意打理得十分成功，这不仅使他成为了一位令人敬仰的实业家，也让他成了当地的慈善家。李维众多的顾客中有一位名叫雅各布戴维斯的裁缝。雅各布是拉脱维亚人，住在内华达州的里诺市。他总是定期从李维施特劳斯的批发行购买成匹的布料。雅各布有一位难对付的顾客，此人老是把雅
14、各布给他做的裤子上的裤兜磨破。于是雅各布开始琢磨如何加固那位顾客的裤子，一天，一个想法突然闪现在他的脑中：可以在容易磨破的例如裤兜边角和缝纽扣处用金属铆钉来加固。这些钉上铆钉的裤子立即受到了雅各布顾客们的欢迎，渐渐地，他开始担心有人会盗用这个绝妙的点子，于是决定为这一发明申请专利。申请专利需要81美元的申请费，雅各布没有这笔钱。他需要一个生意伙伴，这时他第一个想到的人就是李维施特劳斯。1872年，雅各布给李维写了一封信，信中提出两人可以共同拥有这项专利。作为一个精明的商人，李维一眼就看出了这项新产品的无限商机，同意了雅各布的提议。1873年5月20日，两人从美国专利与商标局收到了专利编号为13
15、9,121的证书。现如今，那一天也被官方地认定为蓝色牛仔裤的“生日”。专利受到保护之后，李维雇佣了雅各布戴维斯，并派他到李维施特劳斯公司位于旧金山的工厂监督铆钉裤的生产。第一批铆钉服装于1873年的某天生产并售出（具体日期的记录在1906年旧金山地震和火灾中与公司卷宗一并遗失了）。铆钉牛仔裤的牛仔布料来自于新罕布什尔州曼彻斯特市的阿莫斯奇亚毛纺厂。这家毛纺厂以其优质的布料而闻名。很快，从事各类工种的工人们就开始购买这种新发明的牛仔裤，并奔走相告其结实耐穿的特性。很难想象在1885年，当牛仔装刚刚成为工人们最牢靠的工作服时，一条全新的李维斯牛仔裤售价仅为1.25美元。拥有这项专利意味着在接下来的
16、近二十年内，只有李维施特劳斯公司有权生产这种铆钉服装，直至专利权失效。1890年前后，这些裤子被编号为501，这一编号一直沿用至今。专利权过期之后，很多制衣厂纷纷开始模仿李维施特劳斯公司出品的这种广受欢迎的铆钉服装。denim 牛仔布料Sutters Mill 萨特的磨坊，19世纪时美国拓荒者约翰萨特的磨坊，位于加州东部，1848年于此处发现金矿，遂引发了后来美国的淘金热潮Gold Rush 淘金热。通常指开始于1849年，贯穿19世纪50年代在美国加利福利亚发现大量黄金后的淘金浪潮。淘金，指淘金者们打捞起河里或湖里的淤泥后，在淘盘中将淤泥洗涤，以便找出天然金沙，当时投身这一浪潮的不仅有美国本地人，也有大量外籍移民，其中包括大量的华人heady 令人激动兴奋的，鲁莽的Haute couture 法高级时装rip 撕破
