Brand history

The history of the Lee Cooper brand - the first authentic denim brand in Europe - began in 1908. Born in Lithuania, Morris Cooper founded a workwear company called The Morris Cooper Factory in East London. Cooper has earned a solid reputation as a manufacturer of durable workwear and overalls.

With the outbreak of the First World War, the company converted its production to military uniforms for British troops.

In 1931 the company name was changed to Mr. Cooper (Workwear). And at the start of World War II, the company was commissioned to produce combat uniforms and denim uniforms for the British armed forces.

After the end of the war, Lee Cooper began to reinvent jeans for fashion. Harold Cooper, Morris's son, took over the factory after his father's death and set a new direction for jeans, moving from workwear to jeans, giving birth to the Lee Cooper brand. For two years, Lee Cooper has been at the forefront of denim and jeans in the UK.

Rock and roll was born! Lee Cooper was the first "denim brand" to recognize the connection between music and fashion, and has since tapped into the vibrant current of musical youth. Throughout its history, the brand has worked with legendary artists such as the Rolling Stones, UB40, Serge Gainsbourg and Rod Stewart.

Lee Cooper hit the headlines when he introduced the first "front zip" jeans for women, causing a public outcry. The women's range is expanding, a wider range of sizes is being introduced and the number of styles is increasing. The bright 60s inspired a new collection of colorful Lee Cooper jeans that took London by storm.

In the 70s, Lee Cooper's innovative fashion helped set the development vector for the disco decade. Hipster jeans were on trend, and Lee Cooper works with Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, who can be constantly seen in Lee Cooper jeans. In 1971, Lee Cooper turned heads all over Europe with his mini skirt and the appearance of the first 32-inch trousers with a flared bottom.

In the 1980s, collaborations with the Rolling Stones made the Lee Cooper brand famous all over the world, making Lee Cooper the favorite brand of rock stars and music lovers.

The longtime Lee Cooper logo has been updated to become the logo we recognize today. Lee Cooper has also released an exciting new collection called "3 on 1", the first five-pocket loose-fitting jeans to hit the market.

Lee Cooper collaborated with French model and actress, Lou Doillon. This collaboration was created to celebrate the brand's heritage with former brand ambassadors. Around the same time, Lee Cooper launched a clothing line inspired by “The Beatles”.

With a rich history as the original British denim brand and centuries of experience, Lee Cooper celebrated its centenary by supplying denim jackets and suits to over 1,200 members of the Olympic team and British Paralympic athletes for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Firmly established in the global denim space, Lee Cooper continues to strive forward, adhering to the true ideal of creating denim with British influence – London in our jeans.