Levi's RED: Solve the Mystery (Japan Edition) - A Gathering of Japan's Top Collectors and Trendsetters

Why do people become collectors? And how do these 'scenes' emerge? "Scenes of Devotion" is a special content series exploring the communities of people who are passionate about what they wear.

This time, we're diving into the scene surrounding one of Levi's most enigmatic lines: Levi's® Red, commonly known as "RED."

In 2023, fashion-tech news published an in-depth guide to the allure of Levi's RED, based on the vast collection of the collector group “RED no Kai” （The RED Club）Now, we're back to uncover even deeper secrets with some of Japan's foremost "RED" collectors.

Every collector has that first piece that sent them down the rabbit hole. For ichijo1100, the chairman of “RED no Kai” （The RED Club） that moment came in 1999 at the age of 27.

"At the time, I was an aspiring manga artist, and I was devouring fashion magazines for character design inspiration. That's where I saw the \"1ST GIANT,\" which had just landed in Japan. The shape, the color, the material—everything about it was cool. It was love at first sight," says ichijo1100.

The "1ST" collection, as it's known, featured variations like "STANDARD," "SLIM," "GIANT," "COMFORT," and "LOOSE," all characterized by a dramatically twisted silhouette from the knee to the hem. Details like the pockets and cinch back were also deformed, giving them a unique presence that still stands out today.

This bold reinterpretation of the "jeans" concept made "RED" a frequent feature in fashion magazines like "BOON," "Smart," and "MEN'S NON-NO." The vice-chairman, Master Ten, was another one of the earliest buyers.

"I got hooked after seeing the street snaps in \"BOON\" from 1999 to 2000. I wanted the \"1ST STANDARD,\" but it was so popular I couldn't get it. My first pair ended up being the \"1ST SLIM,\" which had a different silhouette," says Master Ten.

Member Kazuo has also been a follower since the very beginning. For him, the real shock wasn't the pants, but the outerwear: the "1ST COAT."

"I couldn't figure out where they were selling the \"1ST COAT.\" In 2001, I found a women's \"1ST SLIM\" in a W27/L30 that I could just barely fit into and bought it. I still have it, unwashed, even though it doesn't fit me anymore. Back then, I didn't have internet at home, so after work, I'd use my office computer to log onto Yahoo! Auctions and search for RED every day," Kazuo recalls.

These three members are in their 50s, a generation baptized by the 3D-cut "1ST" collection. But“RED no Kai” （The RED Club） also has younger members. Wanko, for instance, was in elementary school back in 1999.

"In my first year of high school, I saw a star hairstylist wearing RED in a street snap in the magazine \"ChokiChoki\" and it just grabbed my attention. I thought, 'What is this?!' I searched all over the American Village ('Ame-mura') but couldn't find it. Not ready to give up, I asked a senior from my cram school to buy a pair for me on Yahoo! Auctions," says Wanko.

His first pair was a used "PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE," which featured 3D tailoring and zippers.

After the "1ST" collection, RED continued to release collections with distinct design themes, such as the "Twist," "Antonym," and "Work" periods.

KOJI and Mickey were both high school students in 1999. KOJI couldn't afford the 1ST collection, but in 2004, he bought a pair of "HONEST-DISHONEST" from the "Antonym" collection at a designer thrift store on the second floor of Takeshita Street in Harajuku.

"RED is like a trusted partner that pulled me into the world of fashion. Now, I can spot a pair of RED jeans in a thrift store just by the color of the denim on the hanger," KOJI says.

Mickey began his collecting journey during the "WARPED" period, which featured an asymmetrically twisted version of the "1ST" collection's 3D cut.

“The earliest RED collection was all the rage in my class, but I couldn't afford it… Around 2006, after I snagged a pair of ‘WARPED’ jeans at Second Street, my obsession just exploded. I’ve even had influencer friends wear RED, kind of like my own grassroots promotion campaign (laughs),” says Mickey.

Starting in 2002, the “Work” period took a completely different turn, showcasing workwear details with hand-sewn-style stitching and unique fading techniques. Saji, the group's only female member, also began her journey as a collector during this time.

“Editorials featuring RED were even in women's magazines. This was before skinny jeans became a big trend, so I remember the slim silhouette of the ‘PATTY ANNE’ felt incredibly fresh and new,” recalls Saji.

The Birth of the “RED Scene”

These collectors officially formed the“RED no Kai” （The RED Club） in 2009. It all started when ichijo1100 and Master Ten hit it off at a Levi's customer event in Osaka. Wanko and Saji soon joined, and the group began swapping information.

Mickey, from the Kanto region, joined in 2010 after being deeply moved by a blog post from ichijo1100 detailing his love for RED. In 2021, Kazuo, who had been collecting in solitude, came aboard, and Mickey later scouted KOJI. These members, all from different backgrounds, generations, and locations, have connected through their shared passion for “RED.”

As each member started sharing content on blogs and social media, their community and friendships began to grow even further.

RYU is another such collector, who fell in love with the “Work” period pieces after seeing them in a street style photo around 2004.

“I discovered that RYU had an incredible collection focusing solely on the ‘Work’ period, so I sent him a DM, thinking he might just have the model I’d been searching for all this time,” says Kazuo.

RYU began swapping information with Kazuo about the “RED” resale market and eventually started meeting up with members of the “RED no Kai” （The RED Club）From there, his journey as a collector kicked into high gear.

“I’ve pretty much completed my ‘Work’ period collection, so now I’m hunting for subtle differences in fading and various sizes. I justify it by telling myself my kids might wear them someday… (laughs),” says RYU.

With social media as a catalyst, the community gradually expanded. Since its debut in 1999, Levi's “RED” has gone through cycles of releases and pauses, with production ceasing after the Fall/Winter 2022 collection. Yet, to this day, collectors relentlessly scour resale apps and vintage shops, hunting for pieces from the archives.

In the vast world of denim, the “RED” scene is undeniably a small niche. But there’s an undeniable allure to these unconventional jeans that forever fuels the collector’s quest. For this feature, we were fortunate to connect with key figures who witnessed the birth of “RED.”

It wasn’t just the design of “RED” that was unorthodox; its sales strategy was completely outside the box. You couldn’t find them in casual jean shops, let alone official Levi’s stores. ichijo1100 recalls the early days:

“For a few years after 1999, you could only get RED at a handful of exclusive select shops, like United Arrows, Sexual Chocolate in Kyoto, and L.H.P in Aoyama. The quantities were incredibly small, too.”

The mastermind behind this designer-brand-style launch—unheard of for a Levi’s product—was the company Jack of All Trades (hereafter “Jack”). Shinichiro Yamamoto from sales and Shinji Oda from PR explain.

“Instead of Levi’s Japan, our company, Jack, acted as the official distributor for RED. We were originally the Japanese agent for British shoe brands like Tricker’s and PATRICK COX. Through those connections, we linked up with Levi’s UK and began distributing RED to our network of retailers. We also employed a marketing technique called ‘seeding,’ where we’d deliver a small batch to key accounts a few months before the official launch to generate buzz,” says Yamamoto.

The experimental designs of “RED,” brought to Japan through this unconventional channel, were a perfect fit for the select shops Jack worked with. Back then, Yamamoto and Oda were on the front lines, selling “RED” directly to customers on the shop floor.

"I was the shop manager at 'Corniche,' which was run by Jack, and later at 'Chimera Luxe.' Levi's RED had such a strong, distinctive character that rumors even swirled about Martin Margiela being the designer. Precisely because they were challenging pieces that weren't for everyone, they became a hit with fashion insiders. Stylist Tomoki Sukezane, in particular, was so passionate that he even commissioned special-order models," says Yamamoto.

Fashion magazines vied to feature the line, and upon seeing these spreads, "RED" collectors fell deep down the rabbit hole.

At the end of our interview, the two from Jack shared, "As people who were involved back in the day, it's a real joy to meet RED collectors here. It brings back a flood of memories from over 20 years ago."

A "scene" is born when the passion of individuals, the camaraderie among collectors, and the efforts of the "key players" all come together.

--And that scene extends across the ocean. Stay tuned for the next installment of our Levi's RED series, the International Edition, where global collectors and key players connect!