Built Like Lee

We’ve come a long way since our beginnings in 1889, in Kansas. But one thing is for certain, we have never compromised on quality, style or craftsmanship.

Over the years, we’ve become a staple denim brand with our customers at the heart of everything we do, and we’ve had quite the journey.

Find out more about Lee’s heritage and evolution, and how we’ve become the brand we are today.

Lee’s Heritage

For Lee, workwear is in our blood, or should we say ‘threads’. We launched our first overalls back in the early 1900’s and we haven’t looked back. We launched with the iconic union-all’s, which were made as a workwear staple for hardworking people across industries. These styles were durable and versatile, and have stood the test of time, and then the rest really is history.

From then, denim has been a big part of both ours, and your, lives. As denim took off in the 1920’s, we made sure we were ahead of the game. We worked with cowboys and rodeo riders to create denim for both men and boys, taking fit very seriously. The finishing product was something that met the cowboys’ specific needs: and so was born our Lee Rider collection. Alongside inventing the fly zipper, the first of its kind at the time, we’ve always been at the forefront of denim technology. Over the years, Lee jeans have stood the test of time as our denim was put to the test across different workwear conditions, from manufacturing plants to mechanics.

Becoming a cultural icon

And these work wear roots are something that still guides us today, making the union-all still one of most popular and coveted products, both for men and women. Our women’s collection launched not long after, in the 1940s, as denim become a bigger part of culture and everyday lives. With the likes of James Dean and Steve McQueen donning a pair of Lees, we evolved with the times: not only was Lee built to last, but we were also now cemented as fashion forward and innovative.

“The iconic skylines, the world we live in now was built by people wearing Lee, and we wanted to take that heritage and align it with the builders of today and the builders of tomorrow,” said Ruth Bernstein, CEO of Yard, of the Lee brand.

Despite this, Lee has kept its heritage and character while moving with the times. With our range of different denim styles, we still cater to everyone’s specific needs. Whether you’re after a durable pair of our classic union-alls or something more fashion forward with flare or skinny styles. But one thing that has never changed is how much love we put into creating every pair of jeans. We’ve used the workwear style and given it a more laid-back feel with our more recent collections and collaborations.

Staying innovative

We’ve remained one of the best fitting denim brands out there and nothing changes no matter where we are and what stories we’re telling with our collaborations, from the likes of Paul Smith and Buck Mason, to our colourful collaboration with Crayola.

And we’re not restricted to jeans, our heritage and culture is seen in every style we produce, whether it’s our denim jackets, shirts and vests. For us, innovation combined with heritage is what pushes us forward. Yes, we keep up with the latest denim trends, styles and technologies, but you’ll still find us pushing our vintage styles. Our collections for men and women are the perfect blend of our heritage, mixed with more modern styles, so we have something for everyone.

So, no matter how far we’ve come, we’ve stayed close to our roots, and we are always: Built Like Lee.