Our story with Lee catches the 101 set amid the backdrop of shifting times and just before its film debut, in what might be its most stripped-down, unembellished form. In addition, we’ve brought along the Lee 101J Rider™ jacket, which took to its most lasting modern updates during that same time period. One of the first denim jackets tailored to flatter, it set a precedent that would further broaden denim’s appeal throughout the 1950s. With a precise framing of the original 1940s silhouettes, our collaboration recuts each in a made in the USA, Japanese loomstate selvedge denim from Kaihara Mills, along with a second version that highlights the era through a much different, militaria focused lens. Lastly, as a nod to California’s history books, we’ve taken our hand-burnished Rambler Suede to the Lee 91B work jacket, creating a distinctly West Coast leather model that could have existed alongside each 101. Originally cut in denim, the zippered jacket with a unique pocket configuration is a cornerstone of the Lee archive.