The second skinRegular straight, boot cut and relaxed, or the 501® Original Fits? In all likelihood, no item of clothing has ever had such glory days as blue jeans. Let's look back at the history of this symbol of Western freedom, the minds behind its birth and its spread, and the role it plays in the contemporary world. Although considered an entirely American invention, the origins of denim date back to the 17th century, when weavers in the French city of Nimes attempted to replicate the denim fabric of the Italian city of Genoa. The failed experiments resulted in the invention of a similar type of darker cotton twill textile: denim. Clothing made from what appears to be denim fabric has even been depicted in a number of 17th-century paintings discovered in 2010. Nick Squires, the author of an article on the true origins of denim, claims that the people in the forgotten works of art wore torn skirts and jackets made of dark blue fabric. Where the indigo fabric was torn, white threads were visible, indicating the use of the weaving technique used in making denim. Since the paintings are believed to come from an area near Venice, art historians believe the birthplace of jeans to be Italy rather than France (Squires). It wasn't until the late 18th century that jeans came to the United States. Leob Strauss, born in Germany in 1829, was the son of a Jewish dry goods peddler, Hirsch Strauss. The family's funds after Hirsch's death were simply not sufficient, resulting in the children leaving for America. Leob, his mother and sister followed the example of Strauss's older sons and joined them in New York. Leob, then 18, changed his name to...... middle of paper...... all slogans encompass their mission statement rather perfectly. Levi's. Original jeans. Original people. Quality never goes out of style! (levi.com) Works Cited Blue Jeans: Technology in American Culture. April 8, 2014. Charles W. Carey, Jr. American inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2002. Downey, Lynn. Levi Strauss and Co. Arcadia Publishing, 2007. http://forbes.com. December 2013. 10 4 2014. levi.com. http://levi.com. n/a 10 4 2014 .Squires, Nick. Denim jeans originated in Italy, not France, says the art historian. Rome, 2010. Incredible facts. June 8, 2013. April 8 2014 .