Levi Strauss (February 26, 1829 – September 26, 1902)

Today, 181 years ago, Levi Strauss was born Löb Strauss in the Franconian region of Bavaria.  In 1853, he became a US citizen and moved to San Francisco from New York, where he had immigrated at the age of 18.  In 1870, a tailor from Nevada named Jacob Davis started making the famous trousers and in 1873, he and Levi were granted a patent for rivet-reinforced pockets on denim work-pants.  And, that is how one of the truly American fashion icons was created …