Levi’s® is releasing a limited-edition reissue of the rare World War II-era “1942 501® Jeans”!

^Levi’s® Vintage Clothing ( ^LVC ) has announced the “1942 ^501® Jeans,” a limited-edition reissue that sheds light on a brief yet captivating chapter in the evolution of the world’s most iconic jeans.Starting Thursday, August 13, 2026, the jeans will be available via a lottery-based sale on ^{the official Levi’s®} online store and in-store at ^{the Levi’s® Store} Kyoto.

^The Evolution ^{of the 501®} Over TimeA Reissue of the 1942 Model from When the U.S. Was Under a Wartime Economy

In 1942, as the United States shifted into full-scale wartime operations, ^{the 501®} was ^also quietly undergoing a transformation.This was the period when thicker denim began to be adopted, replacing the lighter denim that had previously been the norm. Meanwhile, the structural details symbolic of the era were carried forward, resulting in a pair that seamlessly blends forward-looking fabric with the craftsmanship of the past.

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Details of the ‘1942 ^501® Jeans’”Symbolizing the turning point between eras, featuring both the classic back cinch and 13-ounce denim

The limited-edition reissue model “1942 ^501® Jeans,” which reflects two eras, retains the back cinch at the waist and preserves the unique construction where the left and right sides are sewn together in opposite directions; however, the yoke seam is reversed so that it runs over the leg panels rather than beneath them.Details such as hidden rivets, single-needle arcuate stitching, the red tab commonly known as the “Big ‘E’” (featuring a capital “E” on one side), and the Two-Horse leather patch combine to elevate this pair into a garment that truly captures the spirit of that era.The fabric used is the thick 13-ounce “shrink-to-fit” selvedge denim that was just beginning to appear at the time.Within just one or two years, wartime rationing caused the back cinch to disappear, and this design—where details from a bygone era met the fabric of a new era—became a fleeting moment in history. The “LVC 1942 ^501® Jeans” faithfully recreate the original, stitch by stitch.They are presented in rigid, unwashed denim, accompanied by a period-authentic flasher and a dollar bill.

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Paul O’Neill, Design Director ^{of Levi’s®} Vintage Clothing, said of this piece, “The reason 1942 jeans captivate us so much is that they capture a very rare moment where the past and the present overlap.While featuring the heavy-duty fabric that has characterized ^{501® Jeans for decades} since then, the exquisite details passed down from the late 1930s are still very much alive. It is this extremely brief overlap that is precisely what makes them worth preserving and reissuing.”

LVC 1942 ^501® Jeans Details

Product Name: LVC 1942 ^501® Jeans
Price: ¥66,000(tax included)
Release Date: Thursday, August 13, 2026
Available at: ^{Levi’s® Official Online Store}, ^{Levi’s® Store Kyoto}
Inquiries: 0120-099-501  (Levi Strauss Japan K.K.)
Click here for details on the lottery sale
Click here for^{the official Levi’s® website}