The story of German-American businessman Levi Strauss is very interesting.
He founded the first company to manufacture blue jeans and his firm, Levi Strauss & Co., which was founded back in 1853 in San Francisco, California, continues to remain as one of the strongest brands in the world.
Back then, Levi and his customer, Jacob Davis (one of the inventors of the first pair of riveted denim pants in 1871) worked together in producing blue jeans and the birth of the work pants was born in 1873 and in 1886 the Levis 501 blue jeans (and the two horse leather patch) were born.
To this day, we equate Levi’s blue jeans with quality jeans that last long and are dependable. A lot has changed with the company and in 2003, the last Levi’s U.S. factor in San Antonio closed down after 150 years of blue jeans being made in the USA.
And while there are many blue jeans competitors, worldwide, Levi’s well be known for its quality, durability and brand.
Recently, I visited a Levi’s store and perused plenty of denim which captivated my attention but my goal for the day was primarily for the t-shirts, I wanted a Levi’s t-shirt but not with the original logo, something different.
And sure enough, there were more than enough t-shirts that showcased the Levi’s brand but also how the company was founded in San Francisco. From surf t-shirts to various logo designs showcasing the Levi’s name and the city of San Francisco (the company continues the tradition with the naming rights to the Santa Clara stadium for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers).
But one shirt caught my attention and that is the Levi Strauss & Co. Yacht Club t-shirt. I never heard of a Levi Strauss & Co. Yacht Club. And with the #53 on the sail as shown on the t-shirt.
While I know the San Francisco has a strong history of yacht clubs in the area and the Bay Area has several yacht clubs, I never heard of Levi Strauss & Co. having one. Possibly in the past? Is the 53 designation for 1953? Not entirely sure.
There are a few that have been long established such as the San Francisco Yacht Club which was founded in 1869; the Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco established in 1886; the St. Francis Yacht Club founded in 1927; the Richmond Yacht Club created by locals in 1932; the Golden Gate Yacht Club established in 1939; and the Presidio Yacht Club which was founded in May 1959 originally open for military personnel and their dependents.
But I can’t find one thing about the Levi Strauss & Co. Yacht Club. Did it even exist?
If anyone knows the answer, please let me know!
