Legendary Musical Hair Returns to Broadway Featuring a Denim Clad Cast in Classic Looks by the Levi's(R) Brand

Legendary Musical Hair Returns to Broadway Featuring a Denim Clad Cast in Classic Looks by the Levi's(R) Brand

The original jean company inspires authentic '60s-era fashions for highly anticipated show revival

SAN FRANCISCO, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Returning to Broadway this week, the ground-breaking musical Hair is partnering with iconic denim leader -- the Levi's(R) brand -- to create authentic looks for the cast's key costumes. The Levi's(R) brand set the precedent for style in the free-spirited 1960's, so featuring Levi's(R) jeans as the predominant look worn by the cast of Hair is an authentic and natural fit. In addition to working closely with Hair costume designer Michael McDonald, the Levi's(R) brand is celebrating Hair's triumphant return to Broadway by sponsoring the show.

"The Levi's(R) brand is excited to be a part of the highly anticipated Broadway revival of Hair. Our brand's impact on the style and times of the late 1960's was a profound one, so the Levi's(R) jeans and Hair relationship truly is an authentic, perfect fit," says Robert Hanson, President of Levi Strauss Americas. "What's even more interesting is that the Levi's(R) jeans featured in Hair, much like the themes explored in the show, are as relevant today as they were 40 years ago."

In order to channel the eccentric bohemian style of the 1960's, costume designer Michael McDonald looked to Levi's(R) extensive Archive of vintage denim. Based on his research, McDonald chose to work with products deeply rooted in Levi's(R) heritage including the Levi's(R) Original 501(R) straight leg jean (featured in a wash appropriately named "Acid Trip"); the 527(R) Low Rise Boot Fit; vintage, Reissued Bell Bottoms; 511(R) Skinny Jeans and Capital E Hesher Boot jeans. This denim spectrum of Levi's(R) jeans will be prominently featured on both male and female cast members to help create an incredibly authentic look and feel for the production.

"The Levi's(R) brand is a timeless fashion icon -- uniquely American, yet globally recognized as the standard, the original, in denim," said Michael McDonald, costume designer for Hair. "After extensive research of period details, I knew Levi's(R) was the perfect fit for my costume designs in Hair, capturing the essence of the era with stylish accuracy."

Today's emerging trends that are based heavily on popular 1960's looks -- such as authentically distressed denim, corduroy fabrics, and fringe and patchwork details -- also helped shape McDonald's costume selections. These and other hot denim trends of the moment inspired by the 1960's, such as ultra wide-leg jeans in vintage washes and destroyed denim vests, are flying off Levi's(R) store shelves.

The rock musical Hair first opened in New York City in 1967 at Joseph Papp's Public Theater before moving to Broadway the following April. More than forty years later, during the summer of 2008, Hair played to standing-room-only crowds in Central Park and was met with critical acclaim. The story of the Hair "tribe" -- a group of hippies from "the Age of Aquarius" who live a free-spirited life in New York City where they balance a peaceful rebellion against the Vietnam War with the sexual revolution of the 1960s, has become a cultural phenomenon. The "tribe" embodies the hippie counter-culture of their time. Throughout history, the Levi's(R) brand has been embraced by the counter-culture "outsider" and encouraged individuals to live their lives freely without conforming to society's expectations and constraints. The heart and soul of Hair is based on these ideals, which, more than four decades after the show's original premier, are as relevant as ever. It is this ideological synergy that makes the Levi's(R) brand's partnership with Hair such a logical and authentic fit.

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Invented in 1873 by Levi Strauss & Co., Levi's(R) Jeans are the original, authentic jeans. The Levi's(R) brand offers the widest range of great-fitting jeans on the market and are the most widely recognized and often-imitated products in the history of apparel. Levi's(R) jeans have captured the attention, imagination and loyalty of generations of diverse individuals in more than 110 countries around the world and continue to do so today through more than 150 years of innovation.

About "HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical"

The story of a group of young Americans searching for love and peace during the Vietnam era, Hair is a timeless portrait of a movement that changed the world. Its groundbreaking rock score paved the way for some of the greatest musicals of our time. Now, the "Age of Aquarius" dawns again in this jubilant new production. Directed by Diane Paulus and choreographed by Karole Armitage, Hair features a book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. Hair began preview performances on Friday, March 6 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, NYC) with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, 2009.

Tickets for Hair (starting at $37.00) are available via Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday - Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 & 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 & 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.HairBroadway.com

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Source: Levi Strauss & Co.

CONTACT: Erica Archambault, +1-415-501-7678, earchambault@levi.com, or
RJ Rousso, +1-323-933-4646, rj@rf-pr.com, both of Levi's(R) PR

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Profile: International Entertainment