The 173-year-old denim maker Levi Strauss is enjoying a comeback as shoppers rediscover low-rise and loose-fit jeans from the 1990s. Sales sagged after consumers shifted to newer designs, but rebounding interest in ’90s looks has given the brand new life. Levi’s is offering new designs mimicking its vintage pairs, like the 517 jeans featured in “Love Story,” and branching into slip dresses and leather jackets.
“We’re already synonymous with the ’90s style,” said Levi’s Vice President of Global Marketing Anne Cambria. The company forecasts up to 7.5% sales growth for the year ending in November, its biggest annual gain since going public again in 2019. Shoppers like Jackie Schexnaider of Lafayette, La., are returning to buy Levi’s rigid denim straight from its website.
Despite gains, Levi’s faces challenges. Profit isn’t up as much as sales due to marketing costs, tariffs, and outsourcing fulfillment. Analysts say betting on branded stores is risky. BNP Paribas analyst Laurent Vasilescu warned, “If you build them and the consumer doesn’t come, you’re kind of screwed.”
Founded in 1853, Levi’s became a streetwear fixture in the 1990s, worn by Kate Moss, Princess Diana, and Steve Jobs. Revenue rose 11% to $3.3 billion in the first half of this fiscal year, and the company has raised its full-year guidance twice.
Source: Wall Street Journal US Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing