Smiley partners with Lee to celebrate 50th anniversary

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Mar 10, 2022

Smiley is teaming up with iconic denim brand Lee to celebrate its 50th anniversary via a curated capsule. 

Embodying the motto 'Take the Time to Smile', the curated capsule blends iconic Lee silhouettes and Smiley cheer with head to toe looks for men and women that invites wearers to join the Happy Revolution. 

The collection includes men’s and women’s tees, jeans, shirts, jackets, and overalls featuring combinations of the classic yellow Smiley with fresh iterations applied to pastel and tie-dye hues, as well as Lee’s heritage denim. The smallest details were refreshed including Lee x Smiley hardware, exclusively designed Smiley Lee patch and the Smiley embroidered on the jeans’ iconic spade back pockets.

“Lee is thrilled to partner again with Smiley and celebrate their landmark anniversary with this exclusive collection. Our shared values of optimism and originality make this collaboration a natural fit, and it’s exciting to see how this capsule blends iconic elements of both brands,” said Joe Broyles, vice-president of global collaborations, Lee.

Smiley was created in 1972, by French journalist Franklin Loufrani to spread feel-good news. In 1996, Nicolas Loufrani, son of Franklin, took the helm and brought Smiley into the digital world. Today, The Smiley Company is one of the world's top global licensing enterprises that extends across fashion and homewares, through to food and beverage. 

“Over the last five decades, Smiley has collaborated with brands across all categories imaginable - from fashion to music, to design, accessories, travel and more - with the iconic smiley influencing culture every step of the way,” added Nicolas Loufrani, CEO of The Smiley Company. “This collaboration with Lee showcases our commitment together to continue to spread positivity and smiles.”