Levi’s CEO is expecting a denim spike post-pandemic. Yahoo Finance’s Akiko Fujita and Zack Guzman discuss.

Video Transcript

AKIKO FUJITA: It is time for our "Hot Takes." In today's ep, we are talking about something I think a lot of our viewers can relate to. If you're like me, you've spent a lot of time at home over the last 18 months, you've certainly felt the COVID-15.

Levi's says we are not alone. CEO Chip Bergh, speaking to the Associated Press, saying more than 25% of consumers have come out of the pandemic with a new size. Some people have gained, many have actually lost weight, but that's led to a trend towards looser-fit jeans, he says. Which means a big opportunity for Levi's. I don't know how men see this, Zack, but I don't know a lot of women who are saying we don't like the looser-fit trend, especially coming out of the pandemic.

ZACK GUZMAN: Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of people, myself included, when I was going to Miami, there are a lot of clothes I hadn't tried on in a while here. And luckily, the suit I was wearing out there didn't pop any buttons on it, so that was good. But I mean, when we talk about it, that is kind of the finding of a new study, out in JAMA Network, looking at Americans who were kind of following the lockdown habits, maybe not getting to the gym as much, roughly equated to a gain of about two pounds a month, when you think about the more sedentary lifestyles in the pandemic that we all had. That's pretty serious.

So I mean, not saying that Levi's is pointing to either just massive weight gain or massive weight loss. It's kind of a mix, I think, when you dig into what he was talking about. And not just Americans. But still, clear that that kind of apparel build-up as you get out there is true. I mean, you've got to get stuff that fits. You got to get some new clothes, if you haven't bought them in that long, and you got a new size. I think it is maybe being overlooked when it comes to retail.

AKIKO FUJITA: Yeah, and that points to a lot of what we'd heard from other retailers, which is this trend towards athleisure. Already, obviously, in place pre-pandemic, but they've seen growth there. A lot of brands now that never used to offering sweatpants, too. So I'm curious how long the trend lasts.

But it's also interesting, Zack, to see how quickly gyms have picked up. But I can tell you from personal experience, a lot of the classes I take filling up very, very quickly, which tells me that a lot of people are trying to shed the COVID-15 as they look to meet up with people, get out, coming out of this pandemic. Because I mean, maybe they're like you and I. Clothes have gotten a little tighter over the last few months.

ZACK GUZMAN: Yeah, long belts. You know, belts are overlooked in all this. You got a new size. Not only do you need new jeans, but you need new belts as well. We'll see what happens out there, as retail hoping that maybe new customers will be coming back to buy some new clothes.