The history of Lee custom jeans brand

Henry Lee was born in Vermont on December, 9,In 1921 Lee presented the first uniform coat
1849. As a young man he went to find a job incalled “Loco Jacket” and meant for rail
Ohio and in his thirties he was already an ownerworkers. And three years after legendary
of a successful company called “Galion’s“Lee Rider” jeans appeared. They were
central oil company” that was selling kerosene.made from the most solid denim and represented
However, as Henry Lee turned 40 oil businessgenuine cowboy jeans. Another revolution
bored him and he sold his company to one of thehappened in 1926 – the first custom tailored
Rockefellers. Lee went to Kansas where hejeans with a zipper were manufactured by Lee
established his new company called “Leeand called 101Z Lee. A zipper decorated a jeans
Mercantile Co.” and started to sell everythingjacket as well; this model was known as
that earned profit – food, dry goods, school“91” and remained popular until 1980s.
supplies and overalls. In 1909 Henry Lee bought aHenry Lee died in 1928. About 2000 employees
monopoly right for food supplies and settled downwere working on his factories and the capital of
to a quiet life.the company was more than 13 million dollars.
However his worldwide fame he owes to hisHowever, Henry Lee’s death didn’t harm
overalls shop opened in 1889. That year he alsothe success of his creation. Even in the years of
created a new model of customized jeans thatGreat Depression the company released new
was called “Lee”. Soon the companyinnovative models of customized denim. In 1931
came up in the world stepping on the toes ofthe company presented the first classical custom
Levi’s brand. The rivalry escalated whenjeans jacket – 101J model. It was meant for
Henry Lee opened his own garment factory. 1911cowboys and had a button fastener, fitted cut,
the company presented a jump suit withwide belt and cuffs, two side and two breast
shoulder-straps – an irreplaceable piece ofbuttoned pockets. The pocket openings were
clothes for farmers, railmen and factory workers.situated at an angle, so that the cowboy could
1913 the first close jump suit called “Leeput the opposite hand in his pocket even while
Overall” appeared and immediately becameriding a horse. The jacket could be worn under a
popular throughout the United States. By 1915long raincoat.
Lee’s company became so successful that itIn 1933 fabulous “Storm Rider” jacket
opened the second factory for military uniformappeared. That was actually a winter variant of
clothing, and in 1917 when America entered the101J model with a velvet collar and a coldproof
World War Lee’s clothes became officiallining. It became unprecedentedly popular in the
uniform of rifle brigades. In 1919 the third factoryUnited States and was worn by Marilyn Monroe,
was opened – this time for sewing armyJames Dean and John F. Kennedy.
uniform, overalls for workers and dolls’In 1937 the economical crisis was finally over and
clothes. One of the dolls called Buddie Lee wassix factories of the company manufactured the
used as a trademark – an innovativeclothes which sales volume exceeded 6,5 million
advertising project for those times! Buddies wasdollars. Two years later the company became the
wearing a Lee Overalls and was associated with aleader among uniform wear manufacturers in the
typical customer of the company – a 17-20USA. In 1943 Lee’s company got a new
year old young man, a charming adventurer. Thename “H. D. Lee Co.” and a well-known
doll was beaten with bats, thrown out from atrademark stitching on the back pockets of jeans
plane, thrown into water but the jeans stayed like– lying “S”- appeared in 1944.
new ones.See others articles on customized jeans blog.