Levi's and Pendleton Go Native
When two heritage brands get together for a collaboration, one can expect a lot of archive diving. That was indeed the case for the new collaboration between Levi’s and Pendleton, makers of all-American jeans and classic jacquard wool garments, respectively. Both brands looked to their oldies but goodies to create Levi’s Workwear by Pendleton, a capsule collection for men and women that just hit stores.
“The idea behind our partnership with Pendleton was to leverage the ’best-in-breed’ aspects of both brands,” said Carl Chiara, director of men’s and women’s brand concepts for Levi’s. The result is a capsule of iconic Levi’s silhouettes dosed with Pendleton’s trademark Native American–inspired wool.
Men get rugged denim workshirts spiked with Pendleton wool, denim “trucker” jackets that are garment-washed and blanket-lined with a removable vest, and rigid denim jackets embellished with jacquard wool panels. Women get a soft, washed “trucker” jacket that has a removable wool vest, a wool cape featuring authentic Levi’s workwear details from the 1920s and a “trucker” jacket that is lined with a removable thigh-length hood wrap made of Pendleton wool. To complement the jackets, capes and shirts, the collaboration includes a special-edition blanket inspired by the Native American trade blankets of the 1800s and made from 32-ounce wool edged in indigo whip stitching.
The Levi’s Workwear by Pendleton collection is made domestically, adding to its Americana clout. “Throughout the last century, these two brands have contributed to the spirit of the West in their own ways,” said Jim Buckner, manager of Pendleton’s Menswear division. The collection will sell online at the Levi’s and Pendleton websites, as well as at Levi’s stores nationwide and a select number of Pendleton stores. The collection retails for $118 for a workshirt to $198 for the blanket or women’s “trucker” jacket with the wrap lining.
This isn’t the first collaboration for either brand. Both Levi’s and Pendleton are old hands at these special projects. Pendleton has recently collaborated with Hurley, Opening Ceremony and Vans. Levi’s has made capsule collections with Andy Warhol, Obey, Nike, Opening Ceremony, Brooks Brothers, Filson, Henry Holland, Billy Reid and Junya Watanabe.
