NEW YORK » Could it be shape, not size nor style, that really counts in flattering jeans?

That’s what Levi’s now says. The brand that first brought denim jeans to consumers nearly 130 years ago says the longtime emphasis on waist size and silhouette — boot-cut versus skinny-leg, for example — hasn’t really given women what they’re looking for: jeans that complement their body type.

A new line, called Levi’s Curve ID, will, pledges company President Robert Hanson, saying jeans fall into the same shape-sensitive category as bras and swimsuits.

The three styles of Curve won’t work for every woman, at least not yet, Hanson allows. There’s a fourth body type the brand is still working on and hopes to launch by the end of the year. The size range is 22-34, but there are 45 distinct choices — adjusting for curves, leg style and fabric — for each of those waist measurements.