Founded in 1889 in Salina, Kansas, The H.D. Lee Mercantile Company began making denim when jeans were still called dungarees and there were only 42 states in the Union. Even in those early years, Lee Jeans were the perfect combination of form and function. In 1913, Lee debuted the Union-All work jumpsuit and, in 1920, Lee introduced the denim overall to the world. And in 1931 Lee rolled out one of its most enduring designs - the 101 J Slim Jacket. The 101 jacket instantly became a denim icon and remains the boiler plate for every denim jacket design since then. Details that denim-lovers take for granted now, including the zipper fly, were hatched in Lee’s Mid-West factories. By the 1940s, Lee was firmly ensconced as the nation’s top manufacturer of utilitarian workwear and in the 1950s it did what all modern denim brands today aspire to – it diversified and introduced sportswear.
Today, the company celebrates 125 years of excellence, and with over a century of glory, Lee introduces the ALL AMERICAN MADE Lee 101 collection. The Lee 101 brand has long been valued as the pinnacle of cool in the denim-savvy markets of Japan and Europe - and it's now time to familiarize the American public with the historic significance of the line.
If you are a retailer and you are interested in downloading our sales packages including look-books, line-sheets and order forms please log in here.
If you do not have a dealer log in and you would like to request one, please email [email protected]