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A$AP Nast, Barbie Ferreira Tapped by Levi’s to Revive the World’s First Jeans Line

As Levi’s 501s near 150 years old, the brand enlists Nast and Ferreira to show why 501s are as stylish as ever

By Oscar Hartzog

Oscar Hartzog

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May 2, 2022

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asap nast levis barbie Ferreira

Levi's

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A$AP Nast, Barbie Ferreira, and other new school creatives are helping Levi’s celebrate the old school: The group has launched a campaign in honor of Levi’s 501 jeans, which will turn 150 next year.

The campaign, dubbed “The Number That Changed Everything,” sees Nast, Ferreira, Hailey Bieber, Peggy Gou, and Marcus Rashford putting their own twist on the 501 jeans. “We celebrate these five incredible talents who each possess true authenticity, and bring a unique perspective to everything they do,” says the brand, in a statement.

Nast can be seen rocking a Trucker Jacket with 501 ‘93s jeans, and Ferreira wears Plus 501 ’90s Jeans and a Retro Ringer Tee Shirt. Shop the looks — and the whole 501 lineup — at Levi’s.com. Prices start at $32.89.

Barbie Ferreira levis modeling

Buy Levi's 501 Jeans $32.89+

Levi’s calls the 501s “one of the world’s most enduring style items,” and they’re right to do so, as the straight-fit jeans can be found in the closets of young fashion aficionados, cowboys, clean-cut parents, and everyone in-between. Plus, it seems the 501s have made a comeback recently as more people swap skinny and slim-fit jeans for straight-cut looks.

But it’s easy to forget that the 501s have been around since 1873 — making them the first blue jeans ever. In what Levi’s calls a “brand-altering moment” that year, “Levi Strauss & Co. was granted a patent for the copper rivets on their blue denim ‘waist overalls,’” and the brand began making the jeans we all wear today.

The idea of transformational moments is explored in The Number That Changed Everything campaign video, starring the campaign’s celebrity co-signers, which features “intimate conversations that touch upon moments that – like the 501 Original did for Levi’s – forever changed their own trajectory.”

hailey bieber levis modeling

For Nast, “The moment things changed is when I started to realize that the world didn’t revolve around me,” he says, in the video. “And I think the minute I did that, and I became open-minded, I think that’s when my life changed for the better.”

Nast, a founding member of A$AP Mob alongside his cousin, A$AP Rocky, has been a quiet influence in the fashion world lately. Earlier this year, the rapper and model appeared in a photo shoot for Rocky’s clothing line with Eddie Bauer. He’s also previously collaborated with the likes of Reebok and Converse, designing his own sneakers for both brands.

To see why the Levi’s 501s have endured for almost 150 years, head to Levis.com to shop the full 501 lineup.

Buy Levi's 501 Jeans $32.89+

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