Most brands fight for attention from the front. Levi’s never had to. Instead, it’s built a 150-year (plus) legacy on the back — turning a pair of pockets into one of fashion’s most recognisable signatures. The arcuate stitching, the silhouette, a flash of the Red Tab™: details so embedded in fashion consciousness they operate almost subconsciously.
From rodeo grounds to rock stages, skate parks to stadiums, Levi’s has been worn by those moving culture forward: Bruce Springsteen’s instantly recognisable Born in the USA album cover; Marilyn Monroe in high-waisted Lady Levi’s on the set of her 1961 film The Misfits; Kurt Cobain in patchwork denim at the MTV Video Music Awards; Alexa Chung in cut-offs at Coachella; even Barack Obama stepping up to throw a ceremonial first pitch in his Levi’s.
It’s this legacy that underpins Behind Every Original, the brand’s latest global campaign. Debuting with a Super Bowl commercial titled Backstory, Levi’s quite literally flips the frame, spotlighting icons and everyday Originals exclusively from behind. Celebrating both backsides and backstories, the campaign’s cast spans generations and disciplines, from real cowboys, construction workers, climbers, and youth to global superstars.
The styling traverses decades of denim fits, from slim bootcut jeans to baggy silhouettes, underscoring the brand’s ability to evolve while retaining its unmistakable back pocket signature. K-pop phenomenon ROSÉ brings a high-fashion sensibility to the frame, wearing the Loose Boot jeans. Doechii, capturing the raw, kinetic energy of the next generation, styles the Low Slim Boot jeans with vintage-inspired vests. They’re joined by model Stefanie Giesinger and music polymath Questlove, whose encyclopedic understanding of sound and style only underscores Levi’s deep roots in cultural history.
In celebrating the backside, Levi’s isn’t simply being cheeky. It’s reclaiming one of the most iconic vantage points in fashion history and reminding us that true originality doesn’t need to face forward to be recognised.
Shop the Behind Every Original campaign at levis.co.nz
This article originally appeared in Fashion Quarterly’s Autumn 2026 issue.
Interview: Natalia Didovich.
Imagery: Supplied.
