The Levi’s brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since its invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, Levi’s jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world, capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, Levi’s brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. The Levi’s range of leading jeanswear, casual clothing and accessories is available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi’s brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers’ New York dry goods business. The company’s corporate headquarters is located at Levi’s Plaza in San Francisco.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a worldwide corporation organized into three geographic divisions: Levi Strauss Americas (LSA), based in the San Francisco headquarters; Levi Strauss Europe, Middle East and Africa (LSEMA), placed in Brussels; and Asia Pacific Division (APD), based in Singapore. The company employs a staff of approximately 10,500 people worldwide.
In 1964 Jay Gee Melwani Group signed a landmark distribution for South-East Asia with Levis Strauss & Co. Given the rights to market and distribute Levi’s jeans in the region, the company, through aggressive marketing and positioning, successfully translated the jean’s iconic image over to the Asian market. Levi’s, one of the world’s best-known brands in denim jeans, is still going strong after over 150 years. Jay Gee’s strategic alliance with Levi’s from 1964 has seen the brand go from wholesaling to a highly visible retail business with 24 stand-alone concept stores and 11 department store counter’s around Singapore. Based on the latest Apparel Tracking Study (ATS) for the first half of 2006, Levi’s dominates almost 80% of the market share for both Men’s and Women’s in the Super Premium/Premium segment.
