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Informationen zum Autor Ellen Labrecque; Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi Klappentext How did an immigrant who sold sewing supplies in New York City reinvent himself in the American West by creating the most iconic pair of pants in the world? Find out in this addition to the Who HQ library! As a young working-class German immigrant, Levi Struass left his family's dry goods business in New York City to journey out west for the California Gold Rush. Only Levi wasn't looking for gold -- he wanted to provide the miners with sturdy clothes to wear while they worked in the dusty river beds. His solution? Blue jeans -- pants made of strong denim fabric -- which have become one of the most beloved and fashionable clothing items in the world. Who Was Levi Strauss? follows the remarkable journey of this American businessman, and takes a look at how one man and a pair of pants changed fashion and the world forever. Leseprobe Who Was Levi Strauss? On March 14, 1853, Levi Strauss stepped off a steamship and onto a dock in San Francisco. At that time, most of California was still wild and untamed. But San Francisco was growing fast. Levi was one of thirty--four thousand immigrants to arrive by ship that year. The city was bustling. Theaters, saloons, and supply stores lined the walkways leading to the waterfront. The air smelled of salt and fish from the ocean. Sounds of ship horns blasted through the streets, as people crowded around the docks to buy everything from food to lumber and steel. Back in New York, Levi had sold clothes and sewing materials with his brothers at J. Strauss & Brother. But now, he set his sights farther, wider. He was coming to California to expand his business. When he arrived, Levi looked like the other businessmen. He stood five feet six inches tall, had dark hair and a big beard. He wore black pants, a black vest, jacket, and a bow tie—-the style most businessmen wore at the time. Levi blended in with the crowd. Why were so many people flocking to San Francisco? Gold had been discovered in California in 1848. People were racing west to try to make their fortune. Levi, though, wasn’t one of these gold seekers. Instead, Levi knew gold miners needed sturdy clothes—-especially pants—-to wear while they worked in the dusty riverbeds. Levi planned to sell them rugged, long--lasting pants, but he didn’t know how in--demand they would become. Levi’s jeans first became very popular with miners, but today nearly everybody wears them. More than one billion pairs of jeans are sold around the world every year. They are still made in a similar style, with the same denim material used so long ago. The pants that Levi Strauss made for workingmen are still a fashion favorite today! Chapter 1 Life in Bavaria Levi Strauss was born Loeb Strauss on February 26, 1829, in Buttenheim, Bavaria. His parents were Hirsch and Rebecca Strauss. Loeb was the youngest of seven children. Five of them were from his father’s first marriage. Hirsch was a hardworking door--to--door salesman, who sold sewing supplies such as fabric, thread, and buttons. Rebecca stayed at home and took care of the children. The Strauss family lived in a cramped space on the first floor of a house that only had a large living room, a kitchen, and one bedroom. The Strauss family was a close and loving one. The children were taught to help and look out for one another. The family was Jewish. Loeb’s childhood was filled with going to HebrewSchool (a school for Jewish children), helping his mother with chores, and playing with hisbrothers and sisters and his cousins, who also lived in the same town. Sidebar: Bavaria Bavaria is one of the sixteen states of Germany. It has a population of more than twelve million, and is located in the southeastern part of the country. In the 1800s, Bavaria was a...
