Denim is increasingly gaining value among global collectors.
A Levi’s jacket recently broke the Guinness World Record for being the most expensive secondhand denim jacket.
The jacket—a Levi’s S506XXE from World War II—recently sold for 55 million Japanese yen, or approximately $307,588.
The jacket is significant for being from a period when textiles were rationed. It has a unique split back, where two pieces of fabric are sewn together to create the back part of the jacket. Guinness World Record said this is either to make efficient use of the fabric, or because the width of the fabric off the loom was not sufficient.
Split back WWII models have added significance as they point to the manufacturer’s efforts to minimize materials. Other methods were donut buttons and different pocket fabric on jeans, Guinness World Record noted.
Additionally, the jacket is in near-deadstock condition. Most leather patches on wartime denim jackets and pants have either become scrunched or lost, however the patch on this jacket is intact. The lot number and sizing are in legible condition.
A beauty salon group Fivestar Inc. purchased the jacket. In an interview with Guinness World Record, CEO Masayuki Sasaki emphasized the beauty of the denim.
“This is not about how expensive a purchase it was. It is a gesture to show that Japanese aesthetics have been nurtured to an extent that we have eyes to find and value world cultural heritage and to pass it down to generations,” he said. “Beauty isn’t limited to hair and cosmetics. Clothing, environment, movement, time all contribute to beauty. I hope that with this event, we can create opportunities to take Japanese aesthetics further to the stage of world culture.”
