Levi Strauss started on his road to riches by supplying San Francisco miners with trousers made of hard wearing canvas.

In 1872 Strauss received a letter from a customer, Jacob Davis, who told him that the trousers lasted longer if you put rivets at certain stress points. Davis needed a patent, however, to protect this innovation.

Strauss agreed to take on the legal work and in return Davis was made Strauss's production manager.

Eventually the canvas material was replaced by blue denim and the modern 'blue jean' was born.