How Japan’s love for denim influences Levi’s premium collections

Holt Huisamen, managing director of Levi Strauss & Co for East Asia Pacific, on how nostalgia fuels the company’s future. Levi’s place in the fashion industry as the inventor of the jeans puts the brand in a unique position to be a denim historian or a powerhouse of innovation, and possibly both, if the balance of relevance is right. The premiumization of workwear Levi’s heritage is rooted in workwear and the authentically inspired LVC collections pay tribute to time capsules such as the architects and workers who built New York City in the 1930s and Detroit’s underground music scene in the 1960s. “What we call our premiumization strategy is something that I have seen over the last two to three years that has paid significant dividends for us,” Huisamen told Inside Retail. “We’ve seen this become a big part of our core business because of a need, but it’s now becoming a powerful marketing tool in campaigns to drive sales.” The dance between honoring the past and looking to the future is one that the team at Huisamen and Levi are very aware of. “We can’t always just rely on our heritage, we are trying to find ways to connect with consumers on more relevant platforms, as well as collaborations and new innovations around performance cool,” said Huisamen. “So we obviously have to balance that heritage with the youth because that is ultimately what drives growth in the Asian markets,” he added. While Levi’s archive of 20,000 designs sets it apart from other denim brands, its premium strategy seeks to seamlessly merge history with innovation. All with the ultimate goal of positioning Levi’s not only as a maintainer of denim culture, but also as a trendsetter in the field of denim. Levi’s: Made in Japan Although Levi’s is a US-focused brand that is proud of its American roots, its international arm is responsible for its growth, especially in the East Asia-Pacific market. “In a market like Japan, you’ll be amazed at the level of knowledge and ambition that there is for American brands, especially denim brands, and especially Levi’s in a country like Japan,” said Huisamen. According to Levi’s, 40 percent of sales in Japan come from initial product offerings, which also include the LVC product range. “This doesn’t happen in the US, this doesn’t happen where this brand was born,” Huisamen said. “There is a very strong ambition in Asia towards Americana and the history behind the brand,” he added. Huisamen attributes the success of the LVC collection in Japan to the deep storytelling of products, such as the 1936 Type I jacket he wore during the interview, that connects with consumers in East Asia-Pacific markets. Levi’s ‘Made in Japan’ and LVC collections are coveted by global fans of the brand and make a strong case to lead the brand’s vision for premium products. “We are now finding that what we call our Made In Japan product, which is made from selvedge denim, is now one of our fastest growing capsules in Southeast Asia,” Huisamen explains. “I think Japan is such a unique marketplace for our brand; it really is the leading Levi’s jeans market in the world,” he added. From Huisamen’s perspective, Japan can provide a halo effect for the Levi’s brand as its product quality and fashion influence are at the intersection of Asian denim culture. “It’s really trying to stay at the center of the culture, right? That is what Levi’s is all about,” concludes Huisamen.