High-end collaborations are part of Levi’s premiumization strategy. The heritage brand has teamed with Valentino for loose-fitting jean and Miu Miu for upcycled embellished denim. Levi’s latest partnership with No Sesso stays true to the Los Angeles-based fashion brand’s mission to challenge the conventions of fashion, art, culture, and design.
Named after the Italian phrase for “no sex/gender,” No Sesso’s approach to the Levi’s collaboration was all about reimagining transformable versions of Levi’s icons from a gender-inclusive point of view, creating all-new pieces designed to flatter all bodies.
No Sesso teased the collection at its February runway show at New York Fashion Week. The presentation culminated with a special one-of-one Levi’s x No Sesso denim gown created with Levi’s Master Tailors. The gown, which took over 300 hours to make, featured corset lacing, denim handbag accents and a denim train.
Released Wednesday, the four-piece Spring 2022 collection uses the “sensual beauty” of lingerie as a design reference and combines it with dark rinse 100 percent cotton indigo denim and convertible silhouettes.
The collaboration includes two “transformable takes” on Levi’s jeans. A baggy jean, which zippers into a jean short, has chain stitching embroidery up and down the leg to create a garter effect. A jean based off the 505 features zippered gussets that can create a flared leg.
A Type III style Trucker with zippered gussets has zippered sleeves that flare when unzipped.
A corset Trucker features chain stitch embroidery and corset ties on the front and back of the jacket. It also has a zippered bottom section that can be removed so it can be worn long or short. With the corset ties, it can be tied up as a slim fit Trucker or worn oversized when untied.
Co-branded elements like a hangtag and leather backpatches are used throughout the collection.