The tailor who partnered with Levi Strauss to create riveted pants was Jacob Davis.
Davis was a tailor working in Reno, Nevada, and regularly bought fabric from Levi Strauss & Co. He strengthened stress points in work pants with copper rivets, especially around pocket corners and the base of the button fly, making the garments more durable.
Davis lacked the money to pursue a patent, so he contacted Strauss for financial backing and a business partnership. On May 20, 1873, U.S. Patent No. 139,121 was issued to Jacob W. Davis and Levi Strauss & Co. That partnership helped turn a tailor’s practical invention into a mass-produced garment.
The name is sometimes given in full as Jacob W. Davis; “Jacob Davis” is the standard shortened form and identifies the same person. He is credited as the inventor, while Strauss supplied capital, materials, and manufacturing support.