In a lyric on her latest album, Beyoncé sings “denim on denim, on denim, on denim.” Levi Strauss shoppers are taking that advice to heart. Levi Strauss executives are ecstatic. Western wear is booming as consumers opt for top-to-bottom denim looks, the iconic, 171-year-old clothing maker said on Wednesday. As the style wins cultural favor, its popularity is juicing denim niches — like shirts, skirts and dresses — that fall outside Levi’s widely-known blue jean offerings.
“Our new focus is, yes, continuing to own jeans, but taking that denim top to bottom,” Gass said on CNBC’s “Mad Money” late Wednesday. While noting that the denim skirt and dress categories haven’t been historically large for the company, now “they’re exploding,” she said. To be sure, the well-documented denim craze alone isn’t necessarily impressing Wall Street.