Call Me Levi

Hardly any piece of clothing embodies freedom, pragmatism and individuality as much as the Bluejeans. It is considered a symbol of the "American Dream" and is carried from arm to rich by almost every person. Despite their popularity, very few know the history of their invention. Around 1850, the German-Jewish peddler son Levi Strauss emigrated to America with his sister due to lack of prospects and anti-Semitism in the old Franconian homeland. His brothers are already doing a dry goods store there. When the big gold rush breaks out, Levi continues to San Fransicso, where he opens a textile goods business under his own name. The demand from the gold-diggers for hard-wearing pants is high. So the bustling businessman teams up with the ingenious Latvian tailor Jacob Davis, who came up with the idea of ​​strengthening the seams of the pants with rivets. But a protection money patron dominates the port city and makes life difficult for them. And there are also difficulties with the patent.

Creator: David Marian

Network: Das Erste