Levi Strauss has already gone down in history for inventing blue jeans, an American fashion staple. Now, his hometown of Buttenheim in Bavaria pays its respect, opening the Levi Strauss Museum last Saturday.
Levi (whose given name was Loeb) was born in this German town in 1829. The very house where he was born and raised, along with five brothers and sisters, will feature the exhibits. Original and replica artifacts from Levi's life and business will constitute the tourist attraction, which recently underwent a thorough renovation.
Levi Strauss & Co.'s classic 501 jeans must play a role in the new museum's content. The company explained not having enough of the timeless style in stock to meet demand led to missed sales opportunities in the third fiscal quarter. Levi's profit reportedly fell 32% to $37.8 million in comparison to $55.2 million this time last year.