In 1999, Time magazine declared the Levi's 501 jeans the 'Garment of the 20th Century,' a testament to their profound impact on global fashion and culture. The designation recognized the 501's journey from workwear to counterculture symbol to global fashion staple. The honor cemented the 501's status as an icon of American design and a symbol of cultural endurance.

Time magazine's declaration elevated the Levi's 501 to the status of a cultural artifact, a move that resonated with poets who have long been interested in the symbolic power of everyday objects. The 501, as a garment that has been worn by poets from Allen Ginsberg to John Ashbery, embodies the democratic spirit that has characterized much of American poetry. The declaration also reflected the growing interest in fashion as a subject of serious cultural analysis, a trend that poets of the early 21st century have embraced.