Why I Own 22 Pairs Of 501s
My first denim memory: I was about to celebrate my first Holy Communion so my mum took me shopping for a pair of Mary Jane-style black shoes to wear with my pretty white communion dress: slightly fancy but not too showy. I tried on the pair that mum thought best and then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of Levi’s denim sneakers. Blue denim upper, a tan sole and stitching just like on the jeans.
I fell hard and fast. But I was only allowed to have one pair of shoes that day. I chose the Levi’s sneakers. Mum was not happy and let me know it, but these sneakers gave me more joy than almost any piece of clothing I have ever owned. (On communion day I was made to wear the only “nice” shoes I had: red patent shoes. Hardly appropriate, but I didn’t regret pushing for the purchase of those sneakers, knowing the many fabulous wears that lay in store.)
I always preferred jeans to dresses. I styled my jeans up to suit how I felt that day. Flares with a V-neck sweater and a wedge heel for a ‘70s vibe; Levi’s “tough skinnys” with a pointy boot and a rocker tee. I felt like I could take on the world. Later my brother’s 501s, that I cut off at three-quarter length and teamed with a heel and a silk shirt, was my uniform for instant creative cool.
My passion for 501s came when I started working as a fashion assistant at Cleo magazine. The fashion editor would send me out to Route 66 or Wheels & Doll Baby (two Sydney shops that brought in 501s from the USA) to pick out the perfect fit and wash for our shoots. I’d look at every single pair in both stores before making my choice. This could take hours!
I hand-picked a pair for a portrait of Johnny Depp and he loved them so much he bought them. I picked out pairs when I styled Elle Macpherson and Claudia Schiffer for Cleo covers (I still have Claudia’s pair), and Delta Goodrem. Everyone looks good in the right pair.
Then I went to London and saw my first pair of white Levi’s 501s. They weren’t available in Australia so I bought a pair straight away and attained legend status back home.
“I went to London and saw my first pair of white Levi’s 501s. They weren’t available in Australia so I bought a pair straight away and attained legend status back home.”
Once 501s launched in Australia (the arresting ad campaign was bigger than any music video of the day), I got a box of every colour and fit, men’s and women’s, sent to me for the magazine to shoot. By now I was noticing how each country had a different cut. The Australian cut was higher in the rise compared with the USA and UK versions, and the back pocket not as big as the UK pair.
The thing about jeans is that they change with every wear. My knees always go first because I’m a photographer and I’m always crawling around on my knees to get the perfect shot. I really need to put them as a uniform for tax purposes!
I don’t do stretch – I go with 100 percent cotton. Yes, stretch is great with movement and comfort, but you lose the fit – that hard-rigged fit that softens over time. And, yes, that does make them harder to work in, but so what!
I have many of my brother’s old pairs because once they have holes, he doesn’t like them anymore. For years I’d visit my parents in Melbourne and go straight to Bart’s room to see what pairs were potentially coming my way. My mum would patch them up for me and they would last another 20 years or more before being made into shorts and finally, cut into patches used to fix my current favourites. People say denim is not sustainable, but I’m still wearing mine 30 years later.
I still get excited when I go to LA or NYC and hit up the vintage stores (I love The Vintage Twin in NYC, where vintage 501s are custom-fit on you in store). I go straight to the Levi’s – sorry Wrangler & Lee – but when it comes to denim jackets I am open to all makes, especially Wrangler, Maverick and Lee.
Below Elle Macpherson (left) and Natalie Imbruglia
My 501s collection consists of:
Blue x 11 pairs | White x 2 pairs | Black x 3 pairs | Brown cord x 1 pair | Blue cut-offs x 3 pairs | Black cut-offs x 2 pairs | Black skirt (previously jeans) x 1
That’s just 501s. I have other denim, too: Current Elliot tie-dye, Uniqlo men’s Japanese unwashed denim (they get soaked in vinegar so not to lose colour and stay like new), Bettina Liano blue, black and pink jeans (from her early collections), Morrissey Edmiston black hipsters, Lisa Ho white jeans, Levi’s limited edition Engineered jeans, Jeans West and Zara – but they have elasticity so are not in high rotation.
I have so many memories for every pair. Some great, some sad but all give me comfort … if not literally!
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Words + Photos _ Carlotta Moye