Levi's reopens The Vault with star-studded music exhibit
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Behold the wonder of Kurt Cobain's jeans. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
Levi Strauss & Co. has reopened The Vault — its San Francisco-based museum — after a five- year hiatus with a new exhibit celebrating its ties to some of music's most revered artists.
Why it matters: The collection traces the company's imprint across decades and genres — from grunge and glam rock to country and modern pop — showcasing how its denim has shaped iconic music moments.
State of play: The centerpiece is legendary frontman Kurt Cobain's 501 jeans from Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box" music video. The jeans, loaned from collector Tom Coyne, inspired the exhibition's theme and sparked a deeper dive into Levi's role in music history.
- Though worn during the grunge idol's rise to fame in the 1990s, they were originally made in the late 1960s and are believed to have been customized by Lori Barbero, the drummer of the punk band Babes in Toyland.
- All but two of the nine pieces — the Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears matching denim outfits from the early 2000s — are reproductions, though they strike an indistinguishable resemblance to the originals.
- One outfit steeped in San Francisco history is Freddie Mercury's 501s paired with a stunning mahogany leather bomber jacket and a red tee from The Arena, a gay club in SoMa that opened in 1978 and today houses The Stud.
Denim worn by Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams, Orville Peck, Elton John and John Sebastian are also on display.
What they're saying: "There's just so many great moments in music history where Levi's has been a part of it," company historian Tracey Panek told Axios.
The big picture: The museum's reopening coincides with a larger, post-pandemic renovation of the retailer's headquarters and sets the stage for more themed exhibits ahead of its 175th anniversary in 2028.
What's next: The Vault will be expanded next year with a sports-themed exhibition coinciding with the Super Bowl at Levi's Stadium.
If you go: Open 10am– 4pm Tuesday through Thursday through Dec. 18 at 1155 Battery St.