Levi’s Relaunches SilverTab exclusively at Kohl’s

With the resurgence of looser denim silhouettes in recent years, San Francisco-based Levi Strauss announced the official relaunch of its SilverTab line with Kohl’s as an exclusive retail partner. The men’s and women’s assortment of 27 pieces is supported by a relatively minimalist campaign starring actors Gavin Leatherwood and Hailey Law.

When Levi Silvertab was introduced in 1988, the sub-brand made use of campaigns celebrating cool, multi-ethnic inner city youth synonymous with streetwear culture. For a 1999 campaign, Levi Silvertab tapped artist Graham Rounthwaite who created a series of groovy illustrations celebrating the influential edge of inner city youth.

“Although Levi’s® SilverTab™ arrived in the late ’80s, the line didn’t really take off until the ’90s. The collection was defined by its loose and baggy fits,” says Sam Trotman, a denim-industry veteran, writer, and trend forecaster. “What’s interesting is that at the time, not a lot of mainstream brands were offering that look. There were some skate brands like Blind, Alien Workshop and Droors who catered to skaters with wide-cut styles, and emerging Black-owned streetwear brands like Fubu were popular with the hip-hop community. But no one captured the mainstream audience like Levi’s®.”

Vintage SilverTab denim can be found on resale sites ranging from Ebay to Grailed, reflecting the consistent desirability of ’90s-era baggy denim silhouettes, but the new minimalist releases are currently being sold exclusively at Kohl’s.


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