Iconic American Menswear Styles Reimagined the Paul Smith Way
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.
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Lee® and Paul Smith Debut New Global Menswear Capsule Collection. Photo Credit: ©Lee 2025©Paul Smith
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.
The collection ranges in price from $90-$450 US/£85-450. Shop on paulsmith.com and lee.com and in selected partner-owned stores worldwide. Also available in select retailers globally with Nordstrom as USA's exclusive wholesaler. For more information, please visit https://www.lee.com/paulsmith.
Cast
- Emil Sands
- Deneille Robert Percival
- Suren Seneviratne
- Eddie Wailes
- Henry Prior
- Hak Baker
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 Paul Smith
Paul Smith is Britain's leading independent design company. Paul Smith champions positivity, curiosity and creativity. These qualities underpin every Paul Smith design, whether it's a shirt, a shop or a special collaboration. Paul Smith is a British company with a global outlook. What began in a small, 3 x 3-meter shop in Nottingham, England in 1970 has grown to 130 shops and counting around the world, with locations in over 60 countries.
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