Levi's new jeans throw women some curves

For the last 18 months, the folks at Levi Strauss & Co. studied women around the world, conducting thousands of interviews and looking at 60,000 body scans of women in 13 countries.

The company says the result -- besides confirmation that for women, jeans shopping ranks right up there with buying bras and bathing suits -- is a new global denim program that, by taking their curves into account, will provide nearly any woman a five-pocket pair of jeans that feels custom fit to her shape.

Called Curve ID, the line officially launches on Sept. 2 and consists of three fits: a slight curve (for the woman who finds that regular jeans "fit in the hips and thighs but are too tight in the waist"), a demi curve (if your jeans "usually fit in the waist but don't flatter the figure") and a bold curve (if jeans "fit in the hips and thighs, but gap in the back").

"The fits that we're launching with account for 80% of the women's body shapes in the world," boasted Levi's president Robert Hanson in a phone interview last week.

"And when we launch the fourth one -- our most extreme curve -- at the end of this year or early next year, then we'll have 96% of women covered." 

You Nguyen, senior vice president of women's merchandising and design for the Levi's brand, explained that the fits are based on the differences between a woman's hip and seat measurements -- formulated from the body scans and information Levi's gathered over the last year and a half.

He declined to be any more specific than that, noting only that Levi store employees have been specially trained on what measurements to take, and that a digital fitting room to assist online shoppers was scheduled to go live at the Levi's website next week.

"That’s like our [recipe for] secret sauce that we don't share," Nguyen said. "The exact ratio is proprietary information." But Nguyen did offer up a few famous figures that might be appropriate for each fit.

"Now these are just my opinions since I don't actually have any of their measurements," he cautioned. "But off the top of my head, I'd say the bold curve would be someone like Beyonce or Jennifer Lopez, a demi curve would be someone like Charlize Theron, and the slight curve would be Lucy Liu."

Hanson emphasized that Curve ID was not a plus-size program. "This is about shape, not size. Look at the photo [above] for example. All three of those women are wearing a size 27 [-inch waist], but each one is a different shape."  

The waist sizes of the Curve ID program range from 22 to 34, and will be available in three styles (boot cut, straight and skinny), with a handful of different finishes, and all of the denim has a little bit of stretch to it  ("Stretch is an important part of the fit technology for these jeans," explained Nguyen) and prices at launch range from $60 to $148.

While Hanson called the Curve ID program "revolutionary" and spoke about solving the "democracy of denim,"  the bottom line has more to do with dollars than democracy; the company's business skews heavily male (73% of company sales -- which includes the Levi's-owned Dockers brand -- come from the men's side), and the last big push in the Levi's women's denim program was in the late '80s and early '90s.

And Hanson is up front about efforts to capture some of the women's premium denim business from the curve-hugging crowd at the top end of the market.

"This is a major offensive for us," Hanson said. "We want to come out of this recession with momentum and energy, and we think this will allow us to win.... In these trying economic times, we're offering a premium aesthetic and a premium fit for an incredibly great value."

"It's close to a custom fit, but instead of $250 it's a price she's willing to pay -- clearly we want to compete for that market share."

In other words, jeans that are a better fit for her -- and her pocket.

Now, that's actually a goal we can get behind.

Although the official global launch date isn't until the beginning of next month, Levi's Curve ID jeans are currently available at Levi's stores in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Canoga Park and Torrance, as well as online.

 -- Adam Tschorn

More All The Rage coverage of Levi Strauss & Co.

Photo: Three models with different body shapes -- but the same 27-inch waist -- wearing, from left, the straight curve, the demi curve and the bold curve, from Levi's new Curve ID denim program, the label's' new effort to go after the women's premium denim business, which launches worldwide on Sept. 2. Credit: Levi Strauss & Co.

Comments

[Diabetes]

Sadly the so-called "men" in the fashion industry have done women much harm. Women have curves and have been taught that this is a bad thing. Fashion is fantasy not reality. No one likes bone thin women but this is what this industry forces down peoples throat.

I hate rap music but thank goodness the women in my teen daughters videos look like real women! Sexy and curvy. There is so much hidden hatred for women in the fashion industry and they must be stopped

[Tee]

There is no pair of jeans worth more than $50. Aside from the difference in designers, there is no more fabric or construction that goes into a high priced jeans as opposed to the less expensive.

Still, it's good to see Levi's has finally realized that most women don't have the rear ends of little boys - which is how their jeans were designed 20 years ago - when I last purchased them.

It's interesting how different countries design womens' pants though. For instance, I recently purchased 2 pairs from the same brand that were created in Jordan/Israel. They felt good in the store, but the waistlines are SO big, the jeans actually roll down while sitting. The legs are too roomy as well. Do the women there have huge guts and fat thighs??? It's very strange.

[Veronica]

Bravo....they have a customer for life. Can't wait until Sept 2. Hopefully they have them in many colors and shades because if they fit without gaping in the back they have a winner. Thanks...somebody finally gets women. Now if I could just find a man that did (lol).

[Mike Oxbent]

Dang! Womens rears HAVE been getting bigger as we men have suspected all along! That's okay though, like sir Mixalot, I have no problem with that!

[cyn]

Awesome!

[Curvy Lady]

Can't wait to slip into a pair of these.

[Michelle]

Hahaha! Good luck getting Beyonce or Jennifer Lopez in a bold curve. I'm nowhere near their size and I was so excited to try on the bold, only to find it gave me severe flat butt (which Levi's are notorious for anyway). Can wait to try on their fourth "extreme." Please, Levi's, no more flat butt!

[Clare]

All I want is some jeans that come up higher than my pelvis.

[spider1106]

Levi-Strauss, too bad you decided to move your production operations out of the US, after yeas of touting being "American made". I personally will not wear Levi's because of this. My old lady should not either.

[WendiG]

Yawn..so, those of us who don't fit into a size 34 - and that's lots of us, as Levi's will discover- are just SOL? Nice...
But that's the fashion world..
The companies that cater to the reality of the North American woman's actual measurements will be the ones who come out on top..and not at $60-$148..are they kidding? Guess they really are going for a niche market...

[Nonny Nu]

So, if Beyonce and J.Lo fall under the category of "bold curves," who in the wide wide world of sports could fill out the "most extreme cuves" jeans? Also, is a "most extreme curves" jean a good idea? (I'm just extrapolating from the photo based upon how much more "curvy" each level of curviness gets.)

[ABC123]

Just great! This company is encouraging women to stay fat.
The first woman on the right in the picture. Hideous!

Curves are ugly. Always have been always will.
It's just fat. Plain and simple.

[DG3]

I'll take the gal on the right.

[Sara]

...and for a lot less than $60-148 I can buy a pair of jeans off the rack and take them to a tailor -- which gives me a custom fit and keeps a small business owner at work.

[Eve]

Good luck Clare, low rise are the style and that's all that's available. This is exactly why we see so many women walking around with their guts flapping over the tops of there pants.

Some need pants that will not only cover it, but hold it in.

It's gross. Low rise are not for everyone.

[Robin Feltner]

Levi's are such a classic jean, and they hold up forever and ever. Love them!

[Alexandra]

What an awesome idea by Levi's. These curveID jeans will be something the jean market has never seen. These jeans will give me, a women with no but at all, a custom fit pair of pants that wont sag in my rear end are. I cant wait!

[Tahler]

I hate skinny, straight legged jeans. It's time to let our ankles breath again...put some for flare jeans in your lineup, Levi's!

[Joseph]

It's high time a jean company like Levi's did something about jean sizes for women.

Everyone knows women around the world are built differently:

Mediteranean & Asian women: flat butts
European women: medium bubble butts
African women: bubble butts

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, I'm perfectly happy with the variety. On the other hand, I am absolutely sick and tired of watching Americans ignore their health and get out of shape. This goes for both skinny and fat people!

Eat right! Exercise! No excuses!

[tj90409]

"Photo: Three models with different body shapes " ?? They look about the same to me-- all are thin, with XS, S and M booties.
Not impressed

[estella]

I wonder where they got all those scans.... from the airlines?

[Stacey]

so since I wear a bigger size than 34 I'm basically forgotten again...... thanks.

[Ruler4You]

The good news is I only buy American made products. And Levis is not made in America any longer. So I could care less who's butt fits into their levis.

[nina]

You are sick person who wrote this

Just great! This company is encouraging women to stay fat.
The first woman on the right in the picture. Hideous!

Curves are ugly. Always have been always will.
It's just fat. Plain and simple.

Posted by: ABC123 | August 12, 2010 at 02:35 PM

[Carol]

I like 100% cotton jeans and that's all I'll buy. I bought several pairs of Levi's 501 boy cut for women, pure cotton, and they should last awhile.

Why, though, does a 30" waist pair of jeans carry a 25" label? Inches are inches. I ordered and returned and ordered and returned jeans until I stopped being lazy and went into the store. They said it makes no sense, but it's what it is.

The service people at the Levi's store in Beverly Hills are A+, very friendly and helpful!

[zeusdog]

for all those upset that these jeans only go to size 34... try Lane Bryant. they came up with this "revolutionary" idea more than two years ago. My mom (tall and flat butt) my sister (short and sort of normal) and my cousin (nice and round butt) all swear by them. And they rarely top $50. Also check the same thing in Fashion Bug for "regular" size ladies.

[wedding headbands]

Actually this may happen. there are products that squeeze in some body fat by the tight elastic, and are airy at other parts to create bulges. thus such a design for jeans is quite feasible. This type of jeans will hopefully be more popular among women who are overweight by a few extra pounds.