Celebrating their 130th anniversary, Lee Jeans collaborates with the iconic Smiley to realize the best quirky denim collaboration possible.
Lee Jeans has and will always be the cult denim favorite for decades, even with the onslaught of brands that saturate the market. But regardless of being in the sea of denim labels as of today, Lee continues to stand its ground.
So, to commemorate nearly a century and a half of dedication, providing the best denim wear, the American brand linked up with the Smiley company to release a collaborative capsule collection. The brand’s simple yet catchy icon—a yellow circle, two dots, and a smile—retained relevancy through 50 years of cultural movements, thus, making them the perfect brand to team with.
Dubbed as the Smiley x Lee Jeans range, the limited-edition collection revisits its workwear heritage with functional but fun outfits brightened up and anchored with the sunlit Smiley. And as they stay true to its roots, it’s also injected with a hint of the 70s, 80s and 90s street style.
But what truly completes this collection is how the eye-catching Smiley coalesces with the sheer joy-inducing magic that appeared on the scene back in the days. As it serves as an evergreen emblem of peace and happiness, its cheery influence has gained increasing significance in pop culture amongst the free-spirited creatives and celebrities.
Perhaps that’s why you’ll notice celebrities like Tony Labrusca, Julie Anne San Jose, Seth Fedelin, and Alyanna Angeles who are all in to represent the brand in the Philippines. They all just impeccably resonate with the campaign’s unapologetic attitude of living life to the fullest—all while having fun.
Now, speaking of fun, one of the key design elements of the new collaboration is the Smiley playing “hide-and-seek” with the Lee logo, which has vivacious variations on the logos and messages hidden within the waist as well as the zipper.
Decorative texts of Lee x Smiley also run across the front and sleeves of rider jackets. There is a long fur-trimmed hoodie denim jacket that can be perfectly paired with tapered cut stretchable jeans or flares for a retro look. And making a case for the utilitarian trend, they now also offer belt bags that can be worn in multiple ways.
At the official launch of the collaborative capsule in SM Makati, these stylish stars undeniably caught the attention of the crowd—to the extent of fans screaming at the sight of their dashing and stunning street-ready denim ensembles.
Tony Labrusca wore a denim on denim look paired with a timeless Lee and Smiley logo-printed shirt. Seth Fedelin, on the other hand, wore a two-toned denim jacket teamed with a t-shirt featuring Lee’s very own doll, Buddy Lee. Of course, the ladies were in full formation fronted by Julie Anne San Jose, who performed two hit songs while looking oh-so-chic in an ombré denim jacket matched with her light washed denim shorts.
In the long run, this proves that whether it is a lively block party in the city or a carefree camping trip out of town, the looks of the Lee X Smiley collection are sure to turn eyes and start conversations.
The Lee x Smiley limited-edition capsule is now available nationwide. Like and follow Lee Jeans on Facebook and on Instagram at @leejeansphils for more info and updates.
