Lee Cooper targets denim purists with heritage collection

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 27, 2016

Lee Cooper has unveiled a new collection of premium-priced selvedge denim built around its heritage as a London-based brand. It is called the Cooper Collection, after brand founder Morris Cooper.

The denim label, now owned by US-based Iconix, said the men’s and women’s collection references the brand’s heritage of manufacturing denim in East London since 1908 and is inspired by the jeans first offered by the company.

The company said the collection “exemplifies the nature of raw selvedge denim and the culture that surrounds it.” It includes six styles targeting “denim purists” and was creatively directed by Tilmann Wrobel.

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The launch is being backed by a campaign that includes multi award winning musician Jack Garratt who has produced an exclusive track, Strong Enough, and a music video “that reinforce his appreciation of London and the brand”s heritage”. Both are available to view on a dedicated Cooper Collection website.

Lee Cooper, which claimed an 80% denim market share in the UK during the 1950s and 60s, has a history of collaborating with musicians and previous link-ups have included The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper and Gary Numan.

The company has also opened a pop-up space today (October 27) within the old Nicholls & Clarke building in Shoreditch, East London. It will stay open through to October 30.

With a starting price of £250 for a pair of jeans, the company is keen to emphasise the premium details around their manufacture. It said each pair is handmade using Italian blue selvedge denim that was woven on authentic shuttle looms. The exclusive denim features a small 31-inch vintage weave and innovation such as a natural non-synthetic stretch in select cuts.

All styles feature 100% solid copper hardware, traditional two-piece rivets and back pockets secured with concealed rivets. Chain stitched hems were pre-formed on antique Union Special machines.