If you've never put on a second-skin pair of vintage Levi's that have been so moulded by years of being smushed up against your butt that they maintain your body's shape even when hung up, you're missing out. There's a club of women out there who've found their dream jeans at a swap meet, eBay dig, or thrift shop and know about the magic force within their 501s (or 505s or 701s). A new book by photographer Kava Gorna celebrates this relationship between a woman and her Levi's. Called 100 Cheeks, the collection of images lets 50 women (and their 50 butts) sing the praises of a damn good pair of jeans.
As one of the subjects Thessaly La Force writes in the intro, “The jeans I found were made for a man, but there’s a tribe of women these days who enjoy how the cut hugs their body. It’s difficult to imagine any other item in my closet that is so ubiquitous, and yet, no one pair is ever the same after they’ve been worn in and washed.”
The women featured in the book revolve around Gorna and her lens, dipping into her life for a short-term project on friendships that have existed for longer than they haven't. These women are thick and thin, old and young, and cut from every other cloth you can imagine. The one thing they all have in common is that they all have a pair of vintage Levi’s jeans that they — and their “epic booties,” as Gorna and La Force refer to them — love to wear. Click through to see 10 such stories, as told by Gorna herself.
100 Cheeks can be bought online here.
Ronja Amanda
"Ronja is named after a character in one of my favourite books. It comes from a place of strength and individuality."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Randy Stulberg
" Fraggle Rock meets Baby from Dirty Dancing — Randy is unequivocal and her energy is electric. She’s been a true friend since I first met her in college. I’m blessed to have her in my circle."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Stephanie Tran
"You have to be one smart chick to know how to pull off a pair of jeans with a giant tear across the cheeks. Even smarter to make it look cool and classy at the same time. Stephanie can wear anything — for as long as I can remember this has been true. We met right after graduating from college, but I have a sense that her style began much earlier."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Meaghan Mullaney
"Meaghan: an American Gothic beauty queen who looks like a ballerina. She is just as comfortable in a shooting range, at the wheel of her Mustang, or having her nails done. We went on a trip to Nashville once, where we ate Southern food, and at night danced to rave music, dark rave music."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Marie-Sophie Lockhart
"Marie took her skill at embroidering jeans and created Lockhart Embroidery. Before she was on everybody’s radar, I was sitting at Lovely Day with a curator, who fell in love with her at first sight and convinced me to talk to her for him. She was spoken for, but lucky for me, it was a lasting introduction."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Vashtie Kola
"She is a Renaissance woman who wears many, many hats…and jeans. The Stones and the Yankees would both be proud."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Keely Redding
"Oh, to be like a little mermaid, frolicking in the warm Floridian waters, not abiding by the rules of land, not having a care in the world. Keely is a mythical creature; the world gives in to her movements."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
DJ Lindsey
"As a DJ, she blends styles and genres of music effortlessly, but maybe this is just part of the general attitude that she has towards life. I met her because I was intrigued by the jeans she was wearing, and I introduced myself. They are a perfect mix of vintage and modern."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.
Caroline Ventura
"I met Caroline when I had to take her portrait. I remember she showed up on set wearing a T-shirt and vintage jeans. Then she showed me her jewellery, which are these beautiful and meticulously crafted gold pieces."
Photo and caption: Courtesy of Kava Gorna.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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