Jeans transcend time, industries, and aesthetics. And no brand is quite as iconic as Levi’s. The brand has become more than a clothing company; it’s a cultural symbol that endures decade after decade. 

Levi’s is putting its role in pop culture on display in its new Amped: Music Icons in Levi’s Denim exhibit, located at its San Francisco headquarters, per NPR. From Kurt Cobain’s stained, ripped, faded 501 jeans to Beyoncé’s bedazzled denim getup, the exhibit features the most iconic denim threads. 

It includes denim worn by other legends, like Elton John, Freddie Mercury, John Sebastian, and Orville Peck. There’s even a recreation of the enigmatic head-to-toe denim looks Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake wore to the 2001 AMAs. 

The diversity in this collection highlights denim’s versatility. It can be chic on Beyoncé and grungey on Kurt Cobain. One pair of jeans can feel as casual as a Sunday afternoon, while another is fit for the red carpet. 

Mary Davis, fashion historian and musicologist from Yale University, said to NPR, “There’s a way in which you can see denim being almost a blank canvas for anything that anybody wants to make it.”

Jeans have their place in the fashion world (obviously), Hollywood, and even literature. But their presence in music is impossible to ignore. Listen to Beyonce’s hit “LEVII JEANS”, Lana Del Ray’s “Blue Jeans”, and Flo Rida’s “Low”. They all place a pair of classic denim bottoms at the center of the song. This is precisely what the new exhibit celebrates, in all its cotton-clad glory. 

You can take a look at the faded handwriting on Kurt Cobain’s 501s or see the light reflect off Beyoncé’s rhinestone denim suit if you pop into the SF Levi’s exhibit. Fair Warning: The mannequin isn’t thique and does not do the look justice the way Bey does. 

Wear the Jeans of the Stars

It doesn’t matter if you’re an average Joe or the most talented pop star of all time. Everyone needs a good pair of jeans. 

Get the grunge vibe with a pair of 501® Original Fit Men’s Jeans, the same style that Kurt Cobain wore while rocking out. 

Or slip into the kind of cut that Freddie Mercury used to wear, like the 512™ Slim Taper Fit Men’s Jeans. 

You can even get your hands on Beyoncé’s glittery fit. The Beyoncé X Levi’s® 501® Curve Jeans and Beyoncé X Levi’s® Shrunken ’90s Trucker Jacket are both available on the Levi’s site!

Throw on NPR’s Songs About Jeans playlist, and then throw on your favorite pair of denim. It’s what Beyoncé would want.