Hailey Bieber has been in the headlines recently owing to the April Fool’s Day prank her husband, Justin, subjected her to, but today she has news of her own. Levi’s has tapped the model as the first face of its 501s denim.
Is it a coincidence that the announcement came mere weeks ahead of Coachella, where festival goers adopt cut-off 501s as their uniform? Of course not. After Levi’s went public on the stocks market on March 21 and sent shares soaring, it’s injecting its money in one of the world’s rising stars to bring a new audience to its 501s.
“I’ve been wearing 501 cut-offs since I can remember… they make me feel like me,” said Bieber, whose first pair came courtesy of her dad’s wardrobe. This didn’t go unnoticed by Team Levi’s. “Hailey has been wearing our icons, Levi’s 501s and 501 shorts and trucker jackets, without us having to ask her to. She’s a real authentic fan,” commented Jennifer Sey, chief marketing officer of Levi Strauss and Co.
On why Levi’s has never had a face of the 501 in its near 150-year history, Sey told WWD, “It never felt right before but we love Hailey’s energy and optimism. It felt like the right time to associate a face with 501.” The brand called upon stylist Karla Welch – a collaborator of Justin Bieber – and her photographer husband Matthew Welch, to bring the same sense of self-expression to the campaign as her 2018 Levi’s x Karla 501 Day Collection. The Hollywood dresser, who also works with Tracee Ellis Ross, spearheaded a collection of revamped brand classics to raise money for Everytown for Gun Safety. The corresponding campaign featured Hailey, when she was a Baldwin, not a Bieber.
As part of the campaign, Bieber will attend customising events, starting with Coachella, where she will host the brand’s fourth annual poolside brunch on April 13 with Snoop Dogg and St Vincent.
“We do festivals all over the world but this is the biggest and best,” said Sey of the California festival’s marketing value. “It’s still one of those centre-of-culture moments where you have youth culture, the best line-ups and acts, and so much style and music converging on the desert.” Expect to see pictures all over your Instagram feeds.
