S/ Was There: Levi's Toronto Flagship Store with The Beckerman Twins

Levi Strauss & Co. Canadian flagship opened its doors at CF Toronto Eaton Centre on June 21st. The iconic brand celebrated the opening by hosting Toronto locals such as R&B duo Majid Jordan, chef and TV personality Matty Matheson, and Delon Wright of the Toronto Raptors. Fashion bloggers Sam and Cailli Beckerman were also in attendance and collaborated with Levi’s on a limited edition T-shirt and patch in honour of the flagship opening. Here, the fashionable twins open up about the special collaboration.

What does partnering with Levi’s mean to you?

“We are so excited to be partnering with an iconic fashion brand like Levi’s. The timeless style, both new and vintage, are a must-have for any wardrobe–ours included!

It’s also great to partner with a clothing brand with a strong Canadian presence. We’re huge fans of the brand and love that we can find apparel that celebrates our Canadian culture with unique and customizable designs–like our very own limited-edition design and patch that we created in partnership with the brand, which can be added onto most Levi’s products.”

Can you share the inspirations behind the design of the collaboration and how this came to be?

“We love Toronto and wanted to make a happy T-shirt with our favourite landmarks and things that represent the city including: The CN Tower, SkyDome, DVP bridge, Blue Jays, a 6 sailboat, The Ex, The Distillery and our cute little dog Marni. We wanted to make a T-shirt that everybody would like to wear and for it to represent the opening of the Levi’s flagship store. We love how it’s hand-drawn and how a lot of love went into creating it. There is always a big sun shining in Toronto, no matter if it’s in the winter or summer. Torontonians are happy and positive. They are polite and accepting. It’s the most amazing city to live in. We wanted to have a big sun as the focal point with the Toronto letters around it.”

The collaboration includes a T-shirt and a patch, how are the two different and why did you choose these designs?

“We are so excited that we got to create a patch. We love putting patches all over our jean jackets and jean shorts, and collecting patches in general. Working with Levi’s to create this one-of-a-kind patch was so much fun. We wanted the patch to look worn-in and ’70s retro, so we made sure the font was on point to our theme and used our favourite word: “OBSESSED”. The T-shirt also has the ’70s theme, but more in line with the colour scheme, so we included pinks, browns, oranges and blue.

We wanted it to feel like a summer T-shirt…one that would perfectly go with a pair of Levi’s.

You can purchase our limited-edition T-shirt design directly at the Toronto Eaton Centre flagship store and you can customize it on the spot at the T-Shirt Print Bar. The patch is also available for you to add to your favourite Levi’s pieces. In addition to working with us, Levi’s has also partnered with Delon Wright, Majid Jordan, and Matty Matheson, who have all developed their own designs.”

Do you have a favourite Levi’s piece that you own? New or vintage.

“We are obsessed with Vintage Levi’s and collect them religiously! But we also love the new 501 Skinny and 501 Original with the rips. We have so many different styles of Levi’s–the 505s are also rad. We are now trying to collect as many acid wash jeans as possible!”

Do you remember the first piece you owned from Levi’s?

Cailli: “Yes! It was a pair of white 501 jeans from my grandmother. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday and we bought jeans together. I will never forget that amazing day.”

Sam: “It was a vintage pair of 501s from a vintage store that I still have and wear!”

How do you feel the customization in the in-store Tailor Shop will change the way people wear Levi’s?

“The in-store Tailor Shop is such a cool feature because it allows customers to create totally customized clothing through chain-stitching, embroidery, and adding pins and patches–some of which have been designed by collaborators like ourselves and represent our own personal style.

Having access to this customization experience means you can wear your Levi’s clothing any way you want. This personalized look and feel of the brand’s clothing appeals to a huge audience and provides options for every style!

It’s so much fun having that experience of designing with the tailors and coming up with an embroidery idea, a custom patch, or figuring out what pins you want to accessorize with. Also, having an in-store tailor lets you shorten or taper clothes and have them fitted perfectly! It’s a super fun experience that can happen in the store and you don’t have to go to a flea market or far away to find these special pieces. Designing them yourself is the best experience in the world!”

You’ve collaborated with many designers across the world, how does it feel hosting an event in your hometown?

“We are proud Torontonians and are so excited to be collaborating with a brand right here in our hometown! We’re also thrilled to be here for the grand opening of the Levi’s Canada flagship store in the Toronto Eaton Centre and can’t wait to check out all the new and exciting items the new store has to offer.”

View the gallery for an inside look at the opening celebrations.