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Iconic American Menswear Styles Reimagined the Paul Smith Way
GREENSBORO, N.C., March 13, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First introduced at the Paul Smith Spring/Summer 2025 presentation at Pitti Uomo, Paul Smith has collaborated with iconic American brand, Lee®, on a collection inspired by Paul Smith’s famous stripes and Sir Paul’s saying, ‘look and see’. The 14-piece limited edition collection includes jeans, denim jackets, western-style shirts and T-shirts.
The story of the two coming together dates to Paul’s early days. Paul’s first shop at 6 Byard Lane, Nottingham, was a place for him to not only show his own designs, but to present his burgeoning customer base with his favorite items from other makers. One such item was a particularly excellent pair of painter’s trousers which he began importing in the early 1970s, from a specialist denim brand based in the United States. That brand was Lee – a name familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in denim, workwear, or Americana.
Fast forward 55 years, Paul Smith have taken the timeless designs that Lee is known for and reimagined them in a distinctively Paul Smith way, making it a full circle moment. The capsule reframes the Lee 101 jean and 101 Stormrider™ jacket, Lee chore jacket, western shirt and carpenter pant in exclusive prints and patterns. A washed jacquard set featuring Smith’s tapered trouser, and playful graphic tees and hoodies round out the collection. Co-branded trim details give hints of color while a signature version of the iconic Paul Smith stripe is interspersed throughout.
"I used to sell Lee in my Nottingham shop in the 1970s and they were important to me when I was first starting out. Getting clothes over to the UK from the USA was much more difficult to do back then and it was always so exciting to have it in the shop. They’ve got real heritage and being able to partner on this collection has been great. Pairing their expertise in denim and our knowledge of print and design is a brilliant combination." – Sir Paul Smith
"Paul Smith is renowned for its ‘classic with a twist’ aesthetic which fits authentically with Lee’s timeless style. Fans around the world have been waiting for this capsule since June’s initial announcement. At Lee, we can’t wait to see the momentum and excitement the launch generates for both brands." - Jenni Broyles, Executive Vice-President & Global Brands President, Lee.
The collection’s playfulness is represented in the official campaign imagery. Shot by Anton Gottlob, it features six friends of Paul Smith. The collaboration was styled to highlight each talent’s personality. Featuring two musicians, a painter, a dancer, a stylist and a lawyer - the collection fits each subject and their lifestyle in a unique way.