Why Are Jeans Called "Jeans"?
The term "jeans" originates from the French phrase "bleu de Gênes," meaning "blue of Genoa." Genoa, a port city in Italy, was a hub for textile trade in the late Middle Ages. Local weavers in Genoa produced a durable, cotton-based fabric dyed with indigo, which was widely used for making work clothes for sailors and laborers. This fabric became synonymous with Genoa, and English speakers eventually adopted the word "jeans" from its French name.
The modern idea of jeans, however, stems from the 19th century when Levi Strauss, a German immigrant in America, teamed up with tailor Jacob Davis to create sturdy trousers for miners. Using denim, a fabric originally developed in Nîmes, France (hence "de Nîmes" or "denim"), they reinforced the pants with copper rivets, creating what we now recognize as blue jeans.
Thus, the name "jeans" is a nod to their historical connection with Genoa, while their enduring legacy owes much to Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis's innovation.
