patent number one, 39 121 was issued to a Latvian immigrant, Jacob Davis, and a

第 39 121 號專利頒發給了拉脫維亞移民雅各布-戴維斯（Jacob Davis）和一個

German born businessman named Levi Strauss.

出生於德國的商人列維-施特勞斯。

It was for an improvement and fascinating pocket openings.

這是為了改進和迷人的口袋開口。

As mundane as that may sound. The invention being patented was for

雖然聽起來很平凡。申請專利的發明用於

metal rivets designed to hold indigo denim waist overalls together.

金屬鉚釘用於將靛藍色牛仔腰部工作服固定在一起。

What we now know today as blue jeans. The problem and the solution began with

也就是我們今天所說的藍色牛仔褲。問題和解決方案始於

Davis, a tailor in Reno, Nevada, who kept fielding customers who wanted the

戴維斯是內華達州雷諾市的一名裁縫，他不斷地接待那些想要

pockets of their work pants reinforced to prevent rips.

加固工作褲的口袋，防止撕裂。

It was a simple problem and a simple solution.

這是一個簡單的問題，也是一個簡單的解決方案。

Davis realized that a thicker material secured with metal rivets would be more

戴維斯意識到，用金屬鉚釘固定較厚的材料會更牢固。

durable for the laborers, the farmers and the miners who are the primary wears

對工人、農民和礦工來說，耐用性是最重要的。

of denim at the time. In need of money, though, he reached out

的牛仔褲。但在需要錢的時候，他伸出了援助之手

to Strauss, who was selling cloth in San Francisco and at the time agreed to pay

施特勞斯，他在舊金山賣布，當時同意支付

the $68 in patent fees. Now, to be sure, Davis and Strauss

68 美元的專利費。現在，戴維斯和施特勞斯

technically didn't invent blue jeans. The phrase itself traces all the way

從技術上講，藍色牛仔褲並不是它的發明。這句話本身可以追溯到

back to the Renaissance in the French blue Tejon, which was a reference to the

追溯到文藝復興時期的法文藍色特洪（Tejon）。

blue fabrics imported from Italy. And that brings us to our question of

從意大利進口的藍色織物。這就引出了我們的問題

the day. Blue jeans, as a phrase, was uncommon to

當時。藍色牛仔褲，作為一個短語，在當時並不常見。

use until the 1950s. Prior to then, denim pants, whether they

直到 20 世紀 50 年代才開始使用。在此之前，牛仔褲無論是

were stopped at the waist or went all the way up to the torso, were referred

在腰部停止或一直延伸到軀幹，被稱為 "腰部"。

to overalls or bib overalls, a catch all term for workwear.

到工作服或圍兜工作服，這是工作服的總稱。

But the change in vernacular was largely tied to a change in perception of the

但是，白話文的變化在很大程度上是與人們對"...... "的看法的變化相聯繫的。

product. The first batches of Levi's were

產品第一批 Levi's 是

initially popular as work pants, but the introduction of that iconic five of one

最初是作為工作褲流行，但隨著標誌性的五分褲的推出

style helped denim crossover from utilitarian to casual.

這種風格幫助牛仔布從功利走向休閒。

The transition to fashion accelerated further after World War Two as U.S.

第二次世界大戰後，美國進一步加快了向時尚的轉型。

soldiers sporting the brand around the globe captivated the aesthetic

全球各地的運動健將們都被這一品牌的美學所吸引

sensibilities of a burgeoning leisure class.

新興有閒階級的感性認識。

It didn't hurt that Hollywood stars like James Dean and Marlon Brando prominently

詹姆斯-迪恩（James Dean）和馬龍-白蘭度（Marlon Brando）等好萊塢巨星也在該項目中佔據了重要位置。

sported Levi's in movies. Given the pants a cultural credibility

在電影中穿著李維斯。賦予了這條褲子文化上的可信度

at the time when Baby Boom era and the accompanying affluence was beginning to

當時，嬰兒潮時代和隨之而來的富裕生活開始出現

take off. While Levi's has had its share of ups

起飛。雖然 Levi's 也有過起起落落

and downs, the company's legacy may be rooted more in its ability to keep up

公司的傳統可能更多地源於其跟上時代步伐的能力。

with the changing tastes and social mores.

隨著品味和社會風尚的變化而變化。

Belt loops. They were added to jeans in the 1920s.

腰帶環20 世紀 20 年代，牛仔褲上開始出現腰帶環。

Lady Levi's. They were introduced in the thirties to

李維斯女士。它們在三十年代被引入

target specific body shape differences. The 1950s brought us the cuffed and boxy

針對特定的體形差異。20 世紀 50 年代，袖口式和方形的款式出現在我們面前。

style, as well as the first zipper fly, which was met with derision and fear for

款式，以及首創的拉鍊式飛行器，但卻遭到了人們的嘲笑和恐懼。

obvious reasons. Slim cigarette cut jeans for women

原因顯而易見。女士煙管式修身牛仔褲

dominated the 1960s. Bellbottoms and patchwork jeans were

在 20 世紀 60 年代占主導地位。喇叭褲和拼接牛仔褲是

prominent in the seventies, and from there it was high waisted jeans favored

從 70 年代開始，高腰牛仔褲受到人們的青睞。

by moms, then big and baggy jeans favored by rappers.

然後是說唱歌手喜歡的寬大牛仔褲。

Then low rise jeans favored by Britney Spears and then skinny jeans favoured by

布蘭妮-斯皮爾斯（Britney Spears）喜歡的低腰牛仔褲，以及

whoever could squeeze themselves into it.

誰都可以擠進去。

Of course, fashion tends to be cyclical. And now we're back again to the wildly

當然，時尚往往是週期性的。現在，我們又回到了瘋狂的

jeans, the culottes and comfort. Whatever style or trend Levi's has had.

Levi's（李維斯）是牛仔褲、寬鬆褲和舒適褲的代名詞。無論 Levi's 的風格或趨勢如何。

Whatever style, the trend is really dominated.

無論什麼風格，這股潮流確實佔據了主導地位。

Levi's has really managed to endure for 171 years now, and maybe Scarlett 171

Levi's 171 年來還真是經久不衰，或許 Scarlett 171 年也是如此。

years more.

歲月更迭。