How This Levi's Historian Keeps the Brand's Legacy Alive

Every pair of Levi's jeans tells Tracey Panek a story

When you talk to brand historians, one name comes up often—Tracey Panek.

She oversees the archives at Levi Strauss & Co., which invented the modern blue jean in 1873. Tracey rates as a historian’s historian, respected by her peers for documenting Levi’s legacy and a willingness to share her knowledge and expertise with others in the field.

Here, Panek, based at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco, explains why it is important for brands to have in-house historians, talks about Levi’s latest ad campaign featuring Beyoncé, and discusses one of her favorite archive acquisitions—a denim suit worn by Elton John in the 1970s.

MUSE: What are your day-to-day duties and long-term responsibilities? 

Tracey Panek: I manage the archives as a key corporate asset, answering questions from employees and fans. I assist designers looking for inspiration for new Levi’s looks, and I help others whose work requires historical material. I hunt for vintage Levi’s garments and unusual brand items to add to the archives.

I am a regular contributor to Unzipped, the Levi’s blog. My stories range from tracing the Levi’s legacy of President Jimmy Carter to remembering the Texas Cowgirls basketball team, a professional squad that broke barriers in the 1940s and beyond. I also narrate the video series “From the Levi’s Archives” on YouTube and TikTok. My latest episode is about Kurt Cobain’s 501s—the most expensive jeans in the world, according to Guinness World Records. I am also the spokesperson for Levi’s heritage, speaking with Women’s Wear Daily and other fashion magazines.

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How did you become the historian for Levi Strauss? 

I have a graduate degree in history and interned at the California State Archives. I began my career in San Francisco working for a cellular communications company, establishing their archives. I later took over the archives and heritage program at AAA Northern California. My colleague was working at Levi Strauss & Co. at the same time. She would be jetting around the world to places like Japan to build the company’s archives. I was envious. I applied to be her replacement when she retired. Levi’s was another San Francisco company, and I had grown up wearing their jeans. It was a natural fit.

Do you remember getting your first pair of Levi’s jeans?

Levi’s Shrink-to-Fit 501 s were my high-school uniform. My sisters and I all wore them. They were the “must have” item in our closets. I’d buy them at JCPenney or Sears a few sizes too large, and then wash them several times until they shrank and fit me like a glove. 

Why is it important for Levi Strauss—or any brand—to have an in-house historian?

We are a brand with heritage, nearly 175 years of it. Staying rooted to our history while bringing it forward is an important way to stay authentic. Our latest campaign with Beyoncé is a good example. We are reimagining our Western history through the modern lens of a woman of color and her music. In this case, the song is “Levii’s Jeans” on last year’s Cowboy Carter album.

Can you tell me about a recent archival acquisition that you found significant?

We acquire Levi’s garments in a variety of ways from auctions and vintage shops to donations. I’m lucky to have a lot of people who keep an eye out and alert me of interesting garments. We recently acquired a 1970s denim suit designed for Elton John by designer Bill Whitten, who created the unforgettable white rhinestone glove look that Michael Jackson wore at the Grammys. Last year, we acquired a pair of 501 jeans found in a 150-year-old barn in Colorado.

You are more than a decade into the job, and you know everything there is to know about the history of the company. But have you learned anything recently that surprised you?

I recently spoke on a conference panel about Levi’s in music subcultures like punk and metal. We have a few punk and metal Levi’s battle vests in our collection. I learned that these styles are becoming global, including an all-women’s metal group in Indonesia. They are Muslim and wear denim with their hijabs. It’s absolutely fascinating to see the different iterations of Levi’s in culture.