Former Levi’s Historian Lynn Downey Knows a Thing or Two About Denim

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Former Levi’s Historian Lynn Downey Knows a Thing or Two About Denim

If there’s anyone in the world who could speak to the history and evolution of jeans, it’s Lynn Downey.

The former Levi Strauss & Co. historian spent a quarter century amassing and curating a rich collection of vintage Levi’s clothing, photographs and documents, and walking in the footsteps of the brand’s founder. With all that research on the company—and the man—credited with creating denim jeans as we know it, Downey wrote the first full-length biography, “Levi Strauss, The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World,” which hit shelves late last year.

Downey’s knowledge and the heritage she’s been able to get her hands on over the years are the stuff denim dreams are made of.

Carved in Blue caught up with Downey to get at least a glimpse at the treasures she’s uncovered, both as an archivist and an author.

Carved in Blue: So when were you Levi’s in-house archivist and historian?

Lynn: From 1989 to 2014.

Carved in Blue: From there, you left to write the biography. What gave you the idea to do it?

Lynn: I thought about it pretty early in my career, when I discovered that all of Levi’s personal records were lost in the 1906 earthquake and fire [in San Francisco, where Levi’s is headquartered], along with the company’s business records. As my career progressed I just kept doing research, and after about 24 years I finally had enough information to write the book. ​

Carved in Blue: You were the first to write Levi Strauss’s full biography—why do you think that was?

Lynn: Because there weren’t any records to work with. I had access to the company’s information, but I also did the legwork to track Levi down in the historical record: depositions, newspapers, letters, etc. I also had the backing and blessing of the company, so there was tremendous support for the idea.​

​Carved in Blue: With little left after the fire, what was the hardest information to track down or understand?

Lynn: There was literally nothing to work with. The hardest information was Levi’s voice, to read what he said, what he thought about things. Luckily, a lot of historic newspapers became available online and I was able to search for articles about Levi, and that really opened up my research.​

Carved in Blue: Who were some of the most interesting people you came across in your research for the book?

Lynn: ​First and foremost is Dr. Tanja Roppelt, who is the director of the Levi Strauss Museum in Buttenheim, Germany. The town of Buttenheim turned Levi’s birthplace into a museum and Tanja is a wonderful director/curator. She also tracked down the records in Germany to help me understand what Levi’s life was like before he came to America. The other amazing person I met is Hernan Arauz. He was my guide when I went to Panama in 2009 to retrace Levi’s journey across Panama when he left New York for California in 1853. Hernan helped me understand what that trip was like for Levi, over the course of three unforgettable days.

​​Carved in Blue: How is the spirit of Levi Strauss still a part of Levi Strauss & Co. today?

Lynn: Levi Strauss left a legacy of philanthropy and concern for employees that has remained unabated at the company since its founding. ​

Carved in Blue: Now a little bit about you. What’s your favorite pair of jeans?

Lynn: I have a pair of 515 boot cut jeans that I’ve had for probably 17 years or so. Any boot cut the company makes is awesome.​

Carved in Blue: OK, old world craftsmanship or new age technology—any preference?

​Lynn: I like the combination of both. It’s like how I dress: I try to wear something vintage every day but I always combine it with modern day clothing. Levi did the same thing; he made traditional men’s work pants but the rivet was revolutionary.​

Carved in Blue: Having spent so much time in the city where the brand was born, where’s your favorite place to go in San Francisco?

​Lynn: Well, I don’t live in San Francisco,​ but whenever I go into the city I always drop by City Lights Books in North Beach. It’s a San Francisco institution and a reminder of how the city has always been the place where so much of the new and counterculture came from.

Carved In Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?

Lynn: When I hear “Carved in Blue” I think about the old Levi’s jeans in the company Archives. They are living pieces of history, “carved” out of the past and now living in the present.