Levi’s® created the first pair of blue jeans in 1873 and subsequently kickstarted the jeans culture lasting over 149 years. From then on, every pair of jeans is an embodiment and visual diary of our lives and experiences. Since 2020, Levi’s® Hong Kong collaborated with the unofficial group “Levi’s Vintage Clothing Facebook Fanpage” to host the “501® Rigid Denim Challenge”. Participants were encouraged to create their own imprints - creases, crumples, and folds - on their Levi’s® Vintage Clothing jeans, an authentic record of their adventures within a year’s time.
Levi’s® fans spent the past year forging their unique denim fading and texture, fully embracing their lives and jeans with every whisker, honeycomb, and traces of coins or wallets. Every imperfection and stitching only add more to the imprints of their lives.
LIFE AND MEMORIES CELEBRATED THROUGH DENIM
Whether it’s a morning run or a dinner banquet, Pat Lin, this year’s winner of the “501® Rigid Denim Challenge” insists on wearing his jeans for 90% of the year. He chuckled, joking that this challenge feels more like a workout by actively going on adventures in his pair of jeans. Our second place Samson said this is his way of keeping a diary and, just by looking at it, he can relive all of his memories within the year. Hak Chun, our third runner-up, believes this entire competition is a healthy practice to nourish our souls, finding a sense of calmness in the midst of summer heat or his wife’s temper. One of our top 10 winners, Larry, really enjoys witnessing the “growth” of his 501®, almost as if he was raising his own child.
2020-2021 Rigid Denim Challenge Winner Pat Lin
Second Place
Samson Wong
Third Runner-up
Joe Tang
2020-2021 Rigid Denim Challenge Winner Pat Lin
Second Place
Samson Wong
Third Runner-up
Joe Tang
To celebrate 149 year of 501®, we hosted a “Levi’s® 501® Exhibition” that, not only showcased all 10 pairs of winning jeans from this year’s challenge, but also many experience zones: 501® Anatomy Zone to fold mini jeans origami, 501® Creative Zone to create your own personal card pockets, retro photo zone, and vintage advertisement displays. A tote bag workshop was set up to have a little fun with customization, all the while enjoying our display that showcased 501® history and secrets.
