Hail the original

Re “Wanna buy some knockoff jeans?,” Column One, Sept. 6

What is real and what is an imitation?

How ironic that you are giving all this attention to brands such as True Religion,

Joe’s Jeans and Antik Denim lamenting the encroachment of phonies into their high

profit margins, when in fact these brands are marketing nothing but over-hyped,

wannabe-fancy, foo-foo knockoffs of Levi Strauss’ original Californian creation

from 1873.

Levis’ original denim jeans were a stroke of genius --sensible, hard-wearing work

pants tailored for prospectors and outdoorsmen during the Gold Rush. Since then, they have become recognized all over the world as a piece of quintessential Americana.

They are still made today, much to the amusement of those who would rather wear

pink and polka-dotted pajamas and bunny slippers -- or nothing at all -- than Levi’s

original 501s.

Reinhard Kargl

Santa Monica