SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 8, 2026--
The Levi’s ® brand today launched “Behind Every Original,” a bold new global campaign that celebrates the people who push culture forward — with one cheeky twist. Debuting during the Super Bowl with the anthem film “Backstory,” directed by Kim Gehrig, the Levi’s ® brand flips expectations by showcasing both celebrity icons and everyday Originals exclusively from the backside, letting them share their game-changing Levi’s ® backstory.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260208761156/en/
Why the backside? Because it's the most iconic point of view of Levi’s ® jeans. The arcuate stitching, silhouette and the Red Tab™ instantly signal originality. For over 150 years, Levi’s ® jeans have been the uniform of cultural catalysts who step off the beaten path and shape what comes next in music, sport, fashion and art. They have been the uniform of the movements and moments that have changed the world and shaped culture — worn by the ones pursuing progress.
“One of the things I love most about the ‘Behind Every Original’ campaign is that it threads together a story only Levi’s®can tell,” said Kenny Mitchell, global chief marketing officer of Levi Strauss & Co. “This global campaign celebrates our place at the center of music, sports and fashion culture — as well as in the closets of fans across generations. It’s fitting to have it launch during the Super Bowl being played at Levi’s®Stadium, which has become a cultural moment in its own right, through the unifying power of sports."
“Backstory” features Top Dawg Entertainment’s Grammy-winning Doechii, global superstar ROSÉ, reigning NBA MVP and Champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Grammy- and Academy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, artist and DJ Questlove, model and cultural voice Stefanie Giesinger, and Disney-Pixar “Toy Story” character Woody, among other Originals. Every frame is a celebration of the backside in all its denim-covered glory: strutting, dancing, moving and, above all, living in their Levi's ®. The film captures the irreplicable swagger of those creating what comes next while honoring the icons who came before them — from the effortless cool of George Michael’s “Faith” era to a modern reimagining of the iconic “Born in the U.S.A.” album cover. Rooted in real cultural moments Levi’s ® has authentically lived through, the story spans generations and invites everyone to see themselves reflected in the brand.
James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing” infuses joy and energy into the film’s soundtrack, with a nod to denim-clad behinds serving as an anthem for movers and change makers.
Shot over the course of six days in Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and London, the production team focused on casting real cowboys, construction workers, climbers and youth to ensure authenticity. The team also collaborated with Doechii’s choreographer Robbie Blue to craft her show-stopping dance moves that wrap up the spot.
“Behind Every Original” unveils the star cast following the Super Bowl in the form of quick-turn reveal films — punchy six-second clips that spotlight each icon, shifting attention to the movement and self-expression of each Original, rather than their fame.
The campaign extends across social, digital, in-store and out-of-home, living as part of a broader global story that unfolds more of the Originals’ backstories throughout the year with iconic Levi’s ® products as the anchor. Photography captures the cast in raw, behind-the-scenes moments, putting on their Levi’s ® denim and stepping out — visually echoing the personal journeys and backstories that shape each Original.
The campaign was conceived in creative partnership with TBWAChiatDay LA.
Levi’s ® denim is at the very heart of this campaign. From old-school cowboys to music video icons of the ‘80s to modern day moments, the styling spans the breadth of the Levi’s ® brand’s legacy. Doechii sports Low Slim Boot cut jeans, while Rosé dons Loose Boot cut jeans with a Relaxed Fit Trucker. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can be seen in 578 ® Baggy jeans and a Relaxed Fit Trucker, while Questlove rocks his 505 Regular Fit jeans. Stefanie Giesinger brings it home in her Ribcage Slim jeans and Super Soft Longsleeve Polo.
The range of styles and eras serves as a reminder that the Levi’s ® brand has been behind some of life's biggest (and smallest) moments for over a century. The team tailored denim to fit the authentic styles and personalities of the Originals, with certain custom pieces created for our ambassadors, including a custom denim jacket for Questlove and denim gloves for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Watch “Backstory”HERE.
About the Levi’s ® brand
The Levi’s ® brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, Levi’s ® jeans have become one of the most recognizable garments of clothing in the world—capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi’s ® brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading denim and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style. For more information about the Levi’s ® brand, its products and stores, please visit levi.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Levi Strauss Signature™, and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in approximately 120 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,300 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2025 net revenues were $6.3 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com, and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com.
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV carried a wooden cross for all of the 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on his first Good Friday as pontiff, marking the first time in decades that a pope carried the cross to every station.
“I think it will be an important sign because of what the pope represents, a spiritual leader in the world today, and for this voice, that everyone wants to hear, that says Christ still suffers,” Leo told reporters this week outside of the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo. “I carry all of this suffering in my prayer.”
Inside the Colosseum, Leo lifted the cross and began the rite flanked by two torchbearers, who accompanied him throughout the hour-long procession from inside the Colosseum, through the crowd outside and up steep stairs to the Palatine Hill where he gave the final blessing.
At the first station, marking the moment Jesus was condemned to death, the meditation prepared especially for Leo's first Good Friday underlined that those with authority will have to answer to God for how they exercise their power.
"The power to judge; the power to start or end a war; the power to instill violence or peace; the power to fuel the desire for revenge, or for reconciliation,'' read the meditation written by Rev. Francesco Patton, who was custodian of the Holy Land 2016-25, charged, among other things, with looking after sacred sites.
Some 30,000 faithful gathered outside the pagan monument, following the stations as they were recited over loud speakers.
They included Sister Pelenatita Kieoma Finau from Samoa and a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary.
"We have been part of our parish stations of the cross, but this is so exciting. It is very meaningful to have the experience of being with the people of Rome on this special occasion,'' she said.
John Paul II carried the cross for the entire procession from his first Good Friday as pontiff in 1979 until his hip surgery in 1995, when he carried it just part of the way, according to AP reports at the time.
For the first two years of his papacy, Benedict XVI carried the cross for the first station inside the Colosseum, then followed other bearers in the procession that ends on a platform on the Palatine Hill.
Pope Francis never carried the cross, but participated in the procession until his health worsened. He died after a long illness last year on Easter Monday, which fell on April 21.
Pope John Paul II was just 58 when he became pope, and was known as a hiker and outdoorsman. His two successors were in their late 70s when they began their papacies, and Francis was missing part of a lung due to a pulmonary infection as a young man.
The Way of the Cross commemorates the final hours of Jesus’ life, from his death sentence to taking up the cross to his crucifixion, death and burial. The procession ends outside the Colosseum atop the Palatine Hill.
“The Way of the Cross is not intended for those who lead a pristinely pious or abstractly recollected life,” Patton wrote in his introduction. “Instead, it is the exercise of one who knows that faith, hope and charity must be incarnated in the real world.”
At 70, Leo is physically fit and an avid tennis player and swimmer. Before becoming pope, Leo would work out regularly at a gym near the Vatican, with a plan befitting a man in his early 50s, according to his former trainer.
On Holy Saturday, the pontiff will preside over a late night Easter vigil, during which he will baptize new Catholics, and lead Roman Catholics into Christianity’s most joyous celebration marking Christ’s resurrection.
On Easter Sunday, the pope will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before delivering his Easter message and offer the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the city of Rome and the world.
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Barry reported from Milan.
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Faithful attend the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession led by Pope Leo XIV at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV carries a lightweight, 1.5-meter (5-foot) wooden cross during the Via Crucis, the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, Friday, April 3, 2026, which symbolically retraces Jesus Christ's steps to his crucifixion on Calvary in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Leo XIV attends the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Catholic Good Friday, Friday, April 3, 2026 (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Leo XIV attends the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Catholic Good Friday, Friday, April 3, 2026 (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
