Lee Archives revives vintage Riders
Kontoor-owned jeanswear brand Lee has released its second Lee Archives drop, part of a vetted and curated, ever-changing line-up of authentic vintage denim from past seasons that initially launched as a permanent online shopping vertical in the US last autumn.
Wrangler, also part of the Kontoor family, similarly debuted its own Wrangler Reborn offer in April.
This latest drop centres on 1960s and 1970s-era Rider jackets, which first entered the picture in 1948. The brand describes each jacket as “one of a kind”, owing to its unique history and varied traces of wear as a result. Though they may differ in wash, size, condition and appearance, all are retailing for $185.
Accompanying educational storytelling targeted at today's vintage hunters highlights key, Rider-specific details to look out for, such as zigzag topstitching and slanted, Western-style yoke chest pockets (“easier for cowboys to reach into with their opposite hand”).
Check out Inside Denim’s Jean Genie interview with vintage denim aficionado and Lee veteran David Tring, who helped lead the brand to the top in China, here.
A customised jacket from the current collection suggests a life well-travelled thus far. Image credit: Lee.
