Lee and Buck Mason collaborate on menswear capsule
Lee has partnered with Buck Mason to launch a menswear capsule collection inspired by 1940s vintage denim. The collection includes the 91B suede jacket, 101J Rider denim jacket, and 101B jeans, with prices ranging from $128 to $898. Available on both brands' websites and select Buck Mason stores, the limited-edition items will be sold until stock runs out. The collaboration is promoted through a photo campaign featuring Mark Wystrach, highlighting the historical influence of Lee on American denim culture. Kontoor Brands, Lee's parent company, emphasizes collaborations as a key strategy.
Dive Brief:
- Lee and Los Angeles-based retailer Buck Mason have teamed up on a menswear capsule collection of 1940s vintage-inspired denim jeans and jackets, according to a press release.
- The collection features Buck Mason interpretations of Lee’s 91B jacket in suede, 101J Rider denim jacket and 101B jean, as well as vintage-inspired bandanas. Prices range from $128 for a bandana to $898 for the suede jacket.
- The Lee x Buck Mason collab is being offered on both the Lee and Buck Mason websites as well as at 10 Buck Mason stores in California, New York, Texas, Tennessee and Massachusetts. The limited-edition collection will be available until all pieces are sold.
Dive Insight:
The collaboration, which launched in February, is being marketed through a photo campaign shot “in settings reminiscent of the golden days of Hollywood,” per the release. It features Mark Wystrach, lead vocalist of the band Midland.
“The Buck Mason team does an incredible job with storytelling, and we’re thrilled to have Mark in this campaign,” Brigid Stevens, global vice president of marketing at Lee, said in a release. “The images do a great job paying tribute to the capsule’s historic inspiration while remaining true to the Lee of today.”
Vintage elements in the collection include a full leg silhouette and button fly on the jeans, which also feature signature “x” bar-tacks at the back pockets. The bandanas are made of Japanese rayon with prints featuring the facades of Lee factories and an image of the Buck Mason knitting mill in Pennsylvania.
“Lee is such a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to American denim and workwear,” Kyle Fitzgibbons, chief creative officer at Buck Mason, said in the release. “The 1940s, specifically, that’s when we saw the first version of the 101 [jean] in modern form. The influence those jeans had on American culture from that point forward, it informs so much of what we do at Buck Mason today.”
Collaborations are a primary strategy of Lee’s parent company, Kontoor Brands. Previous Lee partnerships have included an eight-piece collection with Alpha Industries, a first-time footwear licensing agreement with Jack Schwartz Shoes, and a capsule apparel collection with well-known artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
In its most recent earnings, Kontoor reported flat year-over-year fiscal 2024 revenue, while Lee’s revenue decreased 6% for the period.
