Levi’s Francisco Alvez Joined Lenzing’s Juliana Jabour for a Denim City SP Chat
Largely credited with creating what is now the familiar five-pocket jean, Levi Strauss continues to be an influential denim brand over 150 years after its founding.
Sharing some market insights, Francisco Alvez, Levi’s CEO for Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, sat down with Juliana Jabour, South America business development and new business manager at Lenzing Group, for an in-depth talk at Denim City Saõ Paulo. The event on Feb. 25 was part of the organization’s Denim City SP Conecta series.
Throughout the chat, Juliana asked Francisco about the state of the denim market—including opportunities and challenges—and how fashion retail has changed with the shift toward e-commerce. Another topic of conversation was remaining competitive in the face of low-priced fast fashion, changing consumer behavior and the growth of secondhand denim.
When asked how to stay relevant, Francisco said, “There is no definitive answer to how to stay relevant in the market, but Levi’s tries to keep up with fashion trends while maintaining original aspects of the brand’s product, delivering what the customer asks for.”
They also chatted about the growing focus on sustainability, including Levi’s strategies to reduce its denim’s environmental impact. Looking locally, the chat also covered Brazil’s unique position in denim and how Levi’s is creating jeans that are suitable to the tropical and increasingly warming climate.
Juliana also asked Francisco to highlight innovations in denim and to predict some trends for the coming years.
“Mediating a conversation with Francisco Alves is a strategic step toward driving innovation and sustainability in the Brazilian denim industry,” said Juliana. “His insights and leadership can help shape market trends, strengthen partnerships and accelerate the adoption of responsible practices, ensuring a more competitive and forward-thinking sector.”