An Ode to Levi’s Hoodie

I asked PVS bloggers to find a captivating photo. Indy was captivated by Levi’s new hoodie. In these 60-degree days, an alpaca hoodie is surprisingly appealing.

By Junior Indy Behr

When I was assigned to write about a photograph I considered long and hard what sort of a piece I should author inspired by this prompt. It did not take me long to find what I wanted to discuss. Recently, a hoodie has come into my classmate Levi’s possession. To put it nicely, it is all he has talked about over the last few days. It is certainly not inexpensive, so I wanted to see why he said it was so worth it, and why he thinks it’s so special. Inspired by Pablo Neruda, I am creating my very own An Ode to Levi’s Hoodie.

An interesting story that inspired me to write this article is an incident wherein Ms. Zachik inquired to Levi whether his hoodie was made of cashmere. Levi was borderline offended at even the insinuation that his hoodie was made with cashmere, and he quickly interjected that it in fact was made of alpaca fiber. Several of us in blog class described Levi as pretentious, and his recent article regarding beef that costs $200 dollars per pound did not help him defend himself against these accusations. Levi’s blog colleague Luke went so far as to give him the nickname, “Princess Levi.”

The hoodie is Paka Apparel’s appropriately named The Hoodie. It is made up primarily of royal alpaca fiber, recycled nylon, and pima cotton. It is handwoven in the southeastern Peruvian city of Cusco. Paka Apparel describes The Hoodie as casual but also functional. It is very lightweight, coming in at less than 10 oz. It is said to be appropriate for climates both cold and warm. Though it is not cashmere–which is obtained from goats rather than alpacas, Paka claims it is just as soft. I have felt this hoodie, and I can confirm it is amazingly soft.

I was shocked to see how positive the reviews for this hoodie were. Reviewer Julia B. said, “It’s comfier and cozier than I ever could have thought.” Levi echoed this sentiment. Though some reviewers expressed their disappointment regarding the fact that The Hoodie does not have a pocket, Levi told me that the quality more than makes up for the lack of such a pocket. 

This hoodie may be $139, but Levi does not even question its worth, and he wouldn’t let us question it either. When asked what his favorite part of The Hoodie is, Levi told me he appreciates that he can wake up everyday to dress himself in the fur of a Peruvian alpaca. He has said that his self-confidence is boosted when he sees “pitiful” students wandering donning “makeshift polyester hoodies with their logos and capitalistic designs.” In a sophisticated manner, Levi explained he values the cusqueña alpacas who do not provide their fur for profit, and he is of the belief that the alpacas “are honored” to provide their fur for such a noble cause as his hoodie.  

All in all, I can very much understand why Levi treasures this hoodie so very much. Evidently, its price point is understandable once one factors in the quality ingredients that it is composed of, as well as the fact that it is handcrafted by experts in the Urubamba Valley who oversee the stunning views of the surrounding Andes mountain range (just look at Paka’s website, really). I think it is safe to say that Levi has successfully made me want to purchase The Hoodie.

You can find The Hoodie at pakaapparel.com.

Note: This hoodie is not considered dress code. Levi has been dress-coded and will only wear his alpaca during free-dress days.