Lee® Announces Global Collaboration With the Brooklyn Circus


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Inspired by a new tale of the American West and the Black Cowboy, the Capsule Features Lifestyle Pieces for Men and Women

Greensboro, NC, November 2, 2022 – Today, Lee® announced the launch of a new collection with The Brooklyn Circus (BKc), available in the US and Europe. The 133-year-old iconic denim and casual apparel brand united with the Black-owned prep wear brand through the connection of craftsmanship and telling stories through style.

Drawing from Lee's workwear and western heritage, the Lee x BKc collection uses archival Lee silhouettes with the unique vision of BKc. Inspired by the history of Black cowboys, Ouigi Theodore, the Founder and Creative Director at The Brooklyn Circus, worked closely with the Lee design team to thread the significance of Black cultural influence on the West throughout the collection’s development.

"Power to the people. We aim to tell the story of our community through meaningful partnerships like this one with Lee,” says Theodore. “The Brooklyn Circus finds inspiration in the pages of history, so collaborating with a heritage brand like Lee to highlight the history of the Black working west made perfect sense.”

“Lee can tap into different cultures because we were there in real time. Concepting this collaboration was very exciting as we worked to blend western and workwear with urban sophistication while keeping the integrity of each,” said Lee Global Director of Men’s Design, Sedgwick Cole Jr. “Every detail from the Japanese selvedge denim to the Melton wool fabric and exclusive patterns and pallets twist these two stories together. The final result is a unique collection that makes you say, ‘Wow, this is so new and fresh.’”

The collection includes men’s and women’s pants, tops, Union-Alls, overalls and jackets including highlights:

  • 1930’S Lee Cowboy jacket - Taking its cue from the iconic 101 Cowboy Jacket, the Lee x BKc Cowboy Jacket brings classic heritage style elements to the modern city.
  • Unisex Varsity Jacket - A coveted staple of The Brooklyn Circus, this Melton wool and leather varsity jacket incorporates a one-of-a-kind embroidered illustration of a Black cowboy, creating a statement piece for the ages. 
  • Cowboy Jeans - Inspired by Lee’s original 1925 Cowboy Jean, Lee x Bkc refreshes the original style using selvedge denim, custom hardware, and modern aesthetics.
  • WhizIt Bib Overall - The Whizit Overall honors Lee's heritage as the first apparel brand to use zippers in clothing. Crafted of selvedge denim, it pays homage to the workers who built America. Available in men and women's styles. 

“It was an honor to collaborate on women’s apparel with The Brooklyn Circus,” said Nicola Mielke, Lee Global Director of Women’s Design. “We took historically masculine designs, like the WhizIt Overall, and mixed in feminine details to create pieces that align with the collection’s overall vision. Merging the past with the modern or the unexpected is what makes design interesting, which is what this capsule achieves.”

Prices range from $110-$1,200. The capsule is available on Lee and BKc’s websites, Lee’s owned stores in Europe and North Carolina, and at The Brooklyn Circus (150 Nevins St, Brooklyn, NY). Additional retailers include American Rag (Los Angeles), Atlanta Vintage Heavy, City Workshop, and Moda (Pittsburgh), Double5 (Italy), Cultizm.com (Germany), Royal Cheese (France), Hepcat (Sweden), and Arborator (The Netherlands).

For more information, visit www.lee.com.

ABOUT LEE

Lee®, a Kontoor Brands (NYSE: KTB) brand, has been a pioneer in purposefully designed denim and casual apparel for more than 130 years. As an iconic American brand, Lee’s heritage is filled with fashion firsts marked by innovative fits, era-defining silhouettes, and legendary details in styles for men, women and boys. Lee’s youthful energy, unrelenting optimism and fearless confidence have created generations of brand loyalists across the globe. For more information, visit www.lee.com.

ABOUT THE BROOKLYN CIRCUS

Ouigi Theodore, the Creative Director of The Brooklyn Circus, has cultivated a unique style that has garnered recognition not only among the fashion pundits of New York but also from streetwise fans as far away as Europe, South Africa, Japan, Korea, and the UK. He has become a recognizable figure and has established himself as a trend forecaster for advertising and marketing agencies looking to get an edge in the market. He has consulted on campaigns for Hennessy/LVMH, Sean John Vote or Dies, Toyota, Casio G-Shock, American Express, PF Flyers, Liberty Fairs, ENVSN FEST, New Balance, Reebok, Deutsch Advertising, Sennheiser Audio. As founder of The Brooklyn Circus, one of the most influential retail concepts in the USA, he travels extensively sharing The Brooklyn Circus/BKc perspective and the 100-Year plan of Style + Character. Most recently, The Brooklyn Circus has collaborated with Macy’s, Jack Daniels, and Todd Snyder.

Released November 2, 2022