Levi's introduced the commercially successful blue jeans patented by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis.
Levi Strauss, a German-born businessman in San Francisco, supplied fabric and other goods. Jacob Davis, a tailor in Nevada, devised a way to reinforce stress points on work trousers with copper rivets. The two men received a United States patent for the riveted garment on May 20, 1873.
The original company sold the trousers as durable workwear rather than as fashion clothing. Denim was valued for its strength, while the rivets helped reinforce pockets and other areas that could tear during heavy labor. The familiar blue color came from indigo-dyed denim, although the precise early products varied in fabric and design.
The registered two-horse logo and the 501 designation became important parts of Levi Strauss & Co.'s later branding. The jeans' fashion status grew substantially during the twentieth century, especially among youth cultures and entertainers.