Lee Jeans

founded by

Henry David Lee

belongs to

VF Corporation

about

Lee Jeans is a leading international retailer and manufacturer of denim wear and casual wear. Headquartered in Merriam, Kansas, near Kansas City, Lee currently employs more than 400 people across the United States. Lee Jeans' parent company, the VF Corporation, is the largest publicly held apparel company in the world. It is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol VFC.

history

Henry Daric Lee established the H.D. Lee Mercantile Company in Kansas and started a business in making ans delling fien goods. He quickly saw the need for reliable workwear. Unhappy with the quality and inconsistent delivery of workwear form Eastern suppliers, Lee started with his venture to do better and became one of the most successful garment companies in the world throughout the 20th century.

Lee started making overalls of high quality in 1911. Lee also made jackets and dungarees but the company did not become an important factor in the industry until the Union-All was conceived in 1913.

In 1913, the Union-All work jumpsuit was created, followed by the first-ever "Overall" in 1920 - laying the foundation for Lee's early growth. Also in 1920, the Buddy Lee doll was launched for promotional use, but quickly became a popular play doll.

Through the '20s, Lee introduced many new innovations to manufactured denim, most notably the zipper fly.

Throughout the '30s and '40s Lee continued to build on their brand, becoming the nation's #1 manufacturer of work clothes. In 1949, the untapped women’s jeans market welcomes Lady Lee Rifers, lauding them the best fitting jeans in the indursty.

The decade of the '50s was a time of intense expansion for Lee as the company transformed from workwear to pop culture. In addition to dominating the workwear and western markets, Lee moved into leisure wear with Leesures.

Lee expanded its presence throughout the '60s, spreading to 51 countries and consolidating with VF Corporation in 1969.

In the ‘70s Lee shifted completely form the workwear business and began catering into fashion cycles, Lee was exporting to 83 countries outside the US.

The company continued to expand its fashion lines throughout the '80s and '90s, launching Lee National Denim Day® in 1996.

In 1995 Lee moved to China and grew substantially in the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, etc, becoming one of the most important denim brands in the region.

Today's Lee is all about bringing more fits, styles, finishes, features and choices than ever before to market.