Lee Jeans is a leading international retailer and manufacturer of denim wear and casual wear. The Headquarter are 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.
Lee Mercantile Company was founded by Henry David Lee in 1889, when Lee opened his first garment factory in Salina, Kansas, producing dungarees and jackets.
• Lee starts making overalls of high quality in 1911. The first one was called the Bib Overall and was originally made in 8oz denim and had a multi-function breast pocket and a button fly.
• 1926 The zipper technology was added to cowboy pants. The world's first ever zip fly jeans - 101Z
• 1936 Lee created 'hair-on-hide' leather label on the back of Lee jeans. The logo was branded directly onto the cowhide and appeal to the cowboy life-style.
• 1944 Lazy S back pocket stitch was introduced. The stitches on both pockets are viewed together they resemble the shape of the famous 'Long Horn' comics.
• 1949 Lady Lee Riders were introduced and promoted as the best fitting jeans for women in the market.
• 1969 Lee consolidated with VF Company, one of the biggest apparel manufacturing alliances in the world, allowing Lee to upgrade its manufacturing operations and expand its overseas production.
• 1982 Lee shifted completely from the workwear business and begins catering into fashion cycles, such as applying acid stone washing on jeans for the youth culture.
• 2009 Exactly 120 years have passed since H.D.Lee set his original aims and standards of 'quality & strength'.
• 2014 Now in the year of 125th anniversary, we are still developing jeans for different needs. And we are still curious. Still finding ways to make our products better and be more sophisticated for metropolitan life.
Today's Lee is all about bringing more fits, styles, finishes, features and choices than ever before to market.