RALPH LAUREN RECREATES WWII RATIONED LEVIS 1944 BEAMS COLLAB

Double RL has gone to great lengths to recreate Levi's jeans created during World War II, when fabric rations demanded that the brand get creative with its garments. Anything deemed unnecessary was removed, including Levi's decorative stitching on the back pockets (the arcuates) which led to Levi's printing fake stitches, and pocket linings made from whatever Levi's could get its hands on, from herringbone twill to checked shirting fabric. This is not about nostalgia. This is about supply chains. Levi's garments were designated "staple work clothing" according to the written rules of the War Production Board. Classified as work garments made of "cotton body materials," wartime Levi's included overall jackets and "waistband overalls or dungarees." This meant that Levi's costs and clothing construction details were controlled by the Office of Price Administration to ensure affordability and conserve material for the war effort. The Arcuate stitching design on the back pockets also disappeared, as the thread was considered decorative and did not have a function on the garment. Concerned that selling the overalls without the Arcuate stitching would confuse consumers, we came up with a temporary solution: we painted the stitching on each pair. At 148,500 yen (~$946.72 USD) for the Type I jacket and made from 16oz selvedge denim woven in Japan, home to the world's best denim, and constructed in America. The same material informs a matching jacket, which recreates Levi's TYPE 1 jackets from 1944, available only in sizes L (46), XL (48), and XXL (50) as they were in the '40s. The [Ralph Lauren Yankees collaboration](https://finallyoffline.com/article/ralph-lauren-yankees-collaboration-hits-150m-across-8-seasons-aaaf5311-6e43-4d89-a394-102c56e5ad5c) already proved American heritage sells. This takes it deeper. Japan is globally known for its high-quality selvedge denim, which drives the market growth. Japan Denim Jeans Market Size is Expected to Grow USD 4.30 Billion by 2035, Growing at a CAGR of 9.04% Meanwhile, an 1890 pair of Levi's has, let's say a $50,000 to $100,000 market value, and a 1920s pair of Levi's has maybe half that, a $25,000 to $50,000 market value. Here is the pattern: scarcity creates markets. Very few were made, compared to the standard Type I, and no one saw them as special at the time, so the few that survive have become a top-tier grails for Levi's collectors and denim heads. Surviving examples of S506xx jackets from the 1940s go for over $10,000 on the vintage market. A 2023 report by ThredUp noted that searches for "vintage Levi's" increased by 142% year-over-year, while sales of vintage denim grew at nearly triple the rate of overall secondhand apparel. "Vintage used to be this very eclectic, off-the-beaten-path interest like folk art and craft. And now we're seeing young bro types who would have been into sneakers five or 10 years ago now getting into vintage," said Abe Lange, founder of Distressed Fest. Ralph Lauren read the room. Wartime constraints created the most coveted denim details in history. Now they are selling those constraints back to us at $947 per piece. The irony writes itself. **Temperature: Early.** This collaboration proves heritage brands can monetize historical accidents. Every luxury label is about to start digging through wartime production archives. Stock up on anything with a rationing story.