Jeans are one of those wardrobe essentials that have stood the test of time. Everyone loves a good quality pair of jeans like these ETO denim stretch jeans from EJ Menswear for example, but did you know that contrary to popular belief, they were not invented in America?
Denim was actually first created in France. When it was first made it was called serge de Nimes, the name Nimes based on the city it was created in. The word denim was only used once the fabric was taken to America, and it became denim (taken from ‘de Nimes’).
It was imported to America during the 19th Century – just in time for the California gold rush. A man named Levi Strauss opened up a shop selling trousers made from this new fabric in San Francisco, and it quickly became a hugely popular choice of attire in America.
The strength and the durability of the fabric were perfect for those doing hard physical work, and the pockets were made large for storing the gold in! Although originally, they were worn by working men, they evolved in style and quickly caught on as a popular fashion item and have remained so ever since.
The man that is responsible for this is a man called Jacob Davis, who was a customer of the Levi Strauss store. He realised that by patenting the product and working with Levi Strauss to market them, they would catch on with many people and he was right!