Levi Strauss & Co. introduced its first Two Horse trademark label in 1886.
The label showed two horses apparently trying to pull apart a pair of riveted jeans. Its message was simple: Levi Strauss’s trousers were so strong that even powerful animals could not tear them apart. The image gave customers a memorable visual guarantee of durability at a time when many buyers encountered products through physical stores and word of mouth.
The Two Horse mark is one of the earliest major branding devices in the history of blue jeans. It appeared before the later red Tab associated with Levi’s products and before modern advertising made clothing logos globally familiar. The label also reinforced the company’s connection with hard-wearing work clothing.
The trademark should not be confused with the 1873 patent. The patent protected the riveted construction, while the Two Horse label identified the company and communicated a durability claim to shoppers.