Commemorating the Legacy of Jacob Davis, the Inventor of Riveted Jeans, and his Journey from Latvian Tailor to American Innovator

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 7, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On May 20, 2023, the 150th anniversary of the birth of riveted jeans will be celebrated globally. This iconic symbol of American culture is widely worn and loved by billions of people worldwide, and the celebration marks the issuance of a patent on Jacob Davis' invention in 1873.

"This is a significant milestone in the history of fashion and a testament to the enduring legacy of Jacob Davis," said Bob Iofis, president of 1st Startup USA. This non-profit organization is working on research and preservation of the legacy of the inventor of riveted jeans. Iofis is a part of Jacob Davis' family branch, with its roots in Latvia.

Iofis continued, "I believe the true story of the birth of riveted jeans resembles much more than just a fashion innovation. It is a tale of hard work, determination, and the desire for freedom and opportunity."

On the brink of the Crimean war in 1854, a young tailor Jacob Jofis from Riga escaped conscription to the Russian Empire army (Latvia was a part of Russia at that time) and immigrated to America. In pursuit of the free spirit of the American west, he joined the second wave of 49ers of the gold rush.

Over 650,000 lives were taken in that fight over the land of the Crimean Peninsula. As a result of the war, the Russian Empire lost that land to the declining Ottoman Empire, supported by their European allies. History marked that war as "unnecessary." Meanwhile, Jacob Jofis' new life, full of hard work and adventures across North America, led him to the invention of riveted jeans.

Today Latvia is an independent country that left its status as a Russian colony behind, hopefully forever. To commemorate the origin of riveted jeans inventor, there are plans to erect a statue in his honor in the city of his birth, Riga. Supported by the local Jewish community, it will symbolize the centuries-long struggle of multi-ethnic Latvian societies for independence and free spirit, where the individual's choices and hard work determine who you are or can be. A Latvian film producer is working on a documentary to visualize available information about Jacob Davis' life.

"Unfortunately, history does not teach lessons and sometimes repeats itself," Iofis said.

"About 170 years later, the lost story of the birth of riveted jeans becomes a perfect example that also symbolizes a failure of totalitarian regimes to learn the axiom: let people do what they are capable of within the common rules most humans accept. Conquest of the lands of other countries is a social atavism that leads nowhere," Iofis continued.

Jeans became an iconic symbol of American culture, and they are still worn and loved by billions of people all over the globe today. For most of them, jeans are associated with the name Levi Strauss. But the true story of the birth of riveted jeans was lost in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake when the entire Levi Strauss jeans manufacturing was leveled to the ground and burned. Only around 1995 was the story unearthed by historians, who found a court case that provided information about Jacob Davis, the inventor of riveted jeans. He changed his name to Jacob Davis at the time of his naturalization in the United States. Levi Strauss invested $65 in patenting Jacob Davis' invention in exchange for assignee title on the patent and a share of intellectual property. He became one of the first angel investors on the records.

Further research led to a reconstruction of the chain of events. Jacob Davis' life story was a thriller. The "Jeans” historical fiction screenplay was named a quarter-finalist of the Geneva International Science in Fiction Screenplay Awards in January 2023. The entire subject deserves a blockbuster film by a high-caliber producer.

Blue jeans are a staple in the wardrobes of people worldwide. In recognition of his contributions to the fashion industry, Jacob W. Davis was inducted into the Fashion Hall of Fame in 1978. His legacy lives on through the Levi Strauss & Co. brand, which is still one of the world's most popular and respected clothing companies. Today, Levi Strauss & Co is positioning itself as one of the first startup companies in San Francisco.

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Bob Iofis
voltogo@gmail.com
Bob Iofis

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