A new partnership brings together two pieces of American culture and celebrates the Western heritage they share.
On Tuesday, Levi’s announced it is teaming up with the State Fair of Texas to dress Big Tex, the iconic 55-foot-tall cowboy who has welcomed fairgoers since his 1952 debut, in a custom pair of 501 jeans.
Compared to a standard men’s 501, Chris Jackman, vice president of marketing at Levi’s, said the proportions are “extraordinary, while still maintaining the recognizable design and construction that define the 501.” The custom 501 fits Big Tex’s 382.5-inch waist and nearly 222-inch inseam.
“There may not be a more natural pairing than Levi’s and Big Tex when it comes to denim. Both are American icons with deep roots in the spirit of the West,” said Karissa Condoianis, senior vice president of public relations for the State Fair of Texas. “Big Tex is one of the most recognizable cowboys in the world, and Levi’s helped create the blue jean as we know it. Now, they’re coming together to make a pair of jeans fit for a 55-foot Texas icon.”
Big Tex has become a trendsetter in Western fashion. Over the years, he’s been dressed by Dickies, Lee and Twisted X. For the 2026 event, the State Fair of Texas announced Cavender’s Boot City would design his Western shirt and Resistol would provide his 95-gallon cowboy hat. Lucchese Bootmaker held a design contest for his cowboy boots.
His new custom pair of Levi’s required 85 yards of denim and weighs approximately 132 pounds. The jeans took Levi’s Eureka Lab 51 days to complete. Special attention was paid to preserving the signature details of the 501, like the nearly five-foot back pocket, oversized back patch and belt loops.
Jackman said the partnership with the fair is a “unique opportunity to honor our history while bringing the Levi’s brand to life in a way that feels relevant, memorable and distinctly Texas.”
The brand is well-versed in creating larger-than-life jeans. In the past, Levi’s has made giant 501 jeans to celebrate 501 Day, the day Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received an official patent for using metal rivets to reinforce men’s work pants. In the 1940s, Levi’s promoted its jeans with “Levi’s Giant” advertisements—12-foot-tall displays that had a painted hardboard top with a pair of Levi’s denim jeans at the bottom. The rare advertisements have become coveted collector’s items.
The State Fair of Texas runs Sept. 25 to Oct. 18 at Fair Park in Dallas. At the fair, Levi’s will also operate a branded pop-up, the LS Service Station, featuring a curated assortment of products with official State Fair of Texas marks and a capsule collection featuring Big Tex.
Customization offerings will be available on-site and at participating Levi’s Dallas-Fort Worth locations. Consumers will also have a chance to win tickets to the State Fair of Texas through giveaways at select Dallas-area stores.
“Levi’s has always been part of the fabric of American culture, and there’s something incredibly fun about bringing two icons together in a way that feels so uniquely Texas,” Jackman said.
