Photos: Levi’s celebrates 501 Day with region-wide activations

It’s not often a product becomes so iconic it's allocated its own day, but that’s exactly what Levi Strauss & Co has done for its signature 501 jeans. On May 20, 1873, the company received a patent for its riveted denim trousers, a day now celebrated by fans around the world via large-scale activations.

This year’s theme, 'We Are All Collaborators', aimed to inspire fans to customise their 501s by visiting the brand's Tailor Shop or attending pop-up experiences to create their own special pieces. 

Karen Riley-Grant, VP for marketing – Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMA), said: “After more than 145 years, the 501 jean is more iconic than ever. This year, on May 20, we invited fans to celebrate the birth of the blue jeans at events all over Asia.

“Whether it was the tailor-shop experience at music festivals in Mumbai, Hanoi or Bangkok; or showcasing the work of local illustrators and collaborators from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand or Taiwan, we created opportunities for Levi’s fans to make the 501 jean their own.”

In Mumbai, there was a 501 Day hip-hop festival held at Famous Studio with performances from Bas and DJ Qubert with customisation opportunities, art installations and 25 pairs of 501 jeans personalised by 25 of India’s biggest artists.

In Hanoi, fans enjoyed live performances by local artists such as Miu Lê, Da LAB and Son Tung at the Levi’s 501 Day Music Festival.

In Bangkok, the 501 Day event showcased top Thai musicians and actors such as Thaitanium, Kitty Chicha and Twopee dressed in customised 501s created by local designers. The evening party was held at The Link Asoke-Massakan, an industrial-style building that housed the performances, tailor shop, fashion show and professional photo booth while registration and food trucks populated the adjacent carpark space.

In Hong Kong, Singapore and Taipei, the events celebrated local talent by inviting local illustrators to express their own style onto their 501s. The Hong Kong event was held at Soho Yard, while Singapore fans gathered at Raffles City Shopping Mall near the brand’s flagship store.