The Levi's(R) Brand Joins Forces with Opening Ceremony to Launch a New Ongoing Collaborative Partnership

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrated American icons Opening Ceremony and the Levi's® brand announce a new partnership marrying Levi's® pioneering spirit with Opening Ceremony's unique, creative design aesthetic.  Beginning this spring 2010, Opening Ceremony and the Levi's® brand will introduce new seasonal co-branded collections rooted in classic Levi's® styles and updated with progressive fabrics, washes, details and twists.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100208/NY50902 )

Levi's® Cords by Opening Ceremony, the spring 2010 collection by Levi's® x Opening Ceremony, is made and produced in the U.S.A. and celebrates the craftsmanship, detail and ease of the ever-popular Levi's® cords.  The collection takes a modern twist on the iconic Levi's® 505® jean by updating it in buttery-soft corduroy in a rainbow of colors including teal, fuchsia, lavender, olive, curry, navy and optical white.  Featuring a fit reminiscent of the 1980's slim leg 505® jean, these unisex cords offer a new and interesting reinterpretation of a favorite Levi's® vintage fit.  Other "new classic" corduroy pieces featured in the collection include unisex cut-off shorts, a unisex button-down shirt and Levi's® trucker jackets in silhouettes for both men and women.

Inspiration for the first Levi's® x Opening Ceremony collection and color story comes from the habitual spring migration of New Yorkers to the scenic upstate countryside.

Spring road trips in New York call for well-worn corduroy pants, layered tops and fitted cord jackets in saturated pastels, while colorful cord cut-offs are perfect for summertime escapes.

Levi's® Cords by Opening Ceremony will launch in Opening Ceremony retail stores in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo next month.  Mirroring Opening Ceremony's unique branded boutique shopping concept, the collection will be available in a special shop-in-shop installation at the Levi's® flagship store in San Francisco.  For a limited time, the San Francisco Levi's® store in Union Square will transform its first floor into a special, home-away-from-home Opening Ceremony boutique.  The pop-up shop will house the Levi's® Cords by Opening Ceremony collection, along with select Opening Ceremony collection staples.  The Levi's® brand will also create an online home for the collaboration at www.levi.com, where the full collection will be available.  The collection will retail for $106 – $178 in the United States.  

"When you think American heritage, Levi's® is the first brand that comes to mind," says Opening Ceremony's co-founder, Humberto Leon. "The brand evokes both a sense of history and of nostalgia but above all else, is a timeless classic.  We decided to celebrate Levi's® by launching this fun corduroy collection because corduroy is a fundamental part of the DNA of the Levi's® brand.  Inspired by trips upstate, swimming in waterholes, and cutting off those spring corduroys into the perfect summer short, our collection with Levi's® focuses on key corduroy pieces that speak to the company's rich history." 

To celebrate the launch of the collection, world renowned photographer Ryan McGinley – a frequent collaborator of Opening Ceremony and the Levi's brand® – will create visuals exploring a dynamic study of movement and color.  McGinley's imagery will embody the youthful energy and purposeful, pioneering spirit of the collection.  The Levi's® brand and Opening Ceremony will also hold intimate launch events focused on this theme in New York City and San Francisco later this spring to introduce Levi's® Cords by Opening Ceremony.

"Over the last few years, Opening Ceremony has consistently created and celebrated the freshest and most exciting stories in fashion.  In true pioneering form, they have opened up new frontiers in retailing, fashion, design and art, while inventing a new space for the convergence of all of these cultural forces," said Joshua Katz, head of Collaborations, Partnerships and Creative Concepts for the Levi's® brand.  

"We initially connected with them because we recognized their deep respect for heritage and their thorough understanding of how certain classic styles could transcend generations," added Katz.  "But our collaboration was really built around a shared desire to celebrate our history not just by revisiting it but rather by reinterpreting it in new and interesting ways. This first collection, built around the 1980's corduroy 505s, is a great expression of that idea and we look forward to future explorations with the talented team at Opening Ceremony."

In addition to select Opening Ceremony and Levi's® Stores, the Levi's® Cords by Opening Ceremony collection also will be available around the globe in specialty retailers such as Barney's, Fred Segal and Joan Shepp in the U.S., Colette (Paris), Liberty (London), Lane Crawford (Hong Kong), Incu (Australia), Henrik Vibskov (Copenhagen and Oslo) and v2k (Istanbul).

About the Levi's® Brand

The Levi's® brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool.  Since their invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, Levi's® jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world – capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi's® brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry.  Our range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style.  For more information about the Levi's® brand, its products and stores, please visit www.levi.com.

About Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony was founded in September of 2002 in New York by Carol Lim and Humberto Leon with the idea of bringing their love of travel and fashion to a concept boutique.  The company has grown to encompass three retail outlets in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo and the Opening Ceremony ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear collections for men and women. Opening Ceremony has become known for its myriad innovative collaborations including with personalities including Chloe Sevigny and Spike Jonze. The company operates a wholesale showroom in New York representing over 20 international and domestic brands. In early 2009, Opening Ceremony launched its first e-commerce site and blog at OpeningCeremony.us  which now has over 1,000,000 unique visitors per month.

SOURCE Levi's