[Lee] Pioneer of color jeans. Faithful reissue of the rare proto model of the masterpiece 'WESTERNER'. Two types, a jacket and pants, will be sold in limited quantities at the newly opened Lee Namba Parks store in Osaka.

Faithful reproduction of a rare model of the masterpiece 'WESTERNER' from Lee THE ARCHIVES

Jeans brand Lee (EDWIN CO.,LTD.) will open a new store at Namba Parks in Osaka on Tuesday, April 24, 2026. To commemorate this, a special limited edition model from the vintage reissue series 'Lee THE ARCHIVES' will be released.

This item focuses on the proto model of 'WESTERNER', the pioneer of color jeans and a masterpiece of Lee. It faithfully reproduces extremely rare pieces created during the transition period leading up to the official release.

The lineup includes two types: the jacket '100-J' and the pants '100-Z'.

*These products cannot be ordered for delivery, and there are no plans to sell them on online malls or other stores.

Unique Details Specific to the Prototype

The characteristic feature is the details unique to a proto model.

It faithfully reproduces details different from the regular specifications, such as the so-called 'black tag' seen on 'Lee RIDERS' from the 1950s to 1960s and buttons engraved with 'Lee RIDERS'. It possesses a collectible quality that lets you feel the process of transition to the details seen in the later 'WESTERNER'.

This collection revives this transitional model, which is scarce even in the vintage market, as a modern product. It is a special lineup unique to the opening commemoration.

'Lee RIDERS' Button unique to the proto model. 'Black tag' before the name specification changed.

Product Lineup

WESTERNER 100-J PROTO 1958 MODEL

The '100-J' replaced the 'RIDERS 101-J' with a satin fabric called 'WEST WEAVE'. It follows the diagonally attached chest pockets with flaps and the front stitching. The defining details are the 'Lee RIDERS' engraved buttons and the 'black tag', which are only seen during the transition period.
Price: 49,500 yen (tax included)
Size (inches): 36/38/40/42/44/46/48/50

WESTERNER 100-Z PROTO 1958 MODEL

The '100-Z' replaced the 'RIDERS 101-Z' with a satin fabric called 'WEST WEAVE'. It follows the diagonally attached chest pockets with flaps and the front stitching. The defining details are the 'Lee RIDERS' engraved buttons and the 'black tag', which are only seen during the transition period.
Price: 31,900 yen (tax included)
Size (inches): 28/29/30/31/32/33/34/36/38

[What is Lee WESTERNER]

Debuting in 1958 as dress-up wear for cowboys, the 'WESTERNER' was a pioneer of the later color jeans boom. The cotton satin fabric called 'WEST WEAVE' is its icon, and in the 1950s and 60s, it gained popularity mainly among university students belonging to the American Ivy League.

4/24 (Fri) Lee SHOP NEW OPEN at Namba Parks, Osaka

Lee SHOP Namba Parks Store
[Access]
556-0011
Namba Parks 4F, 2-10-70 Nanbanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka City
Right near Nankai Electric Railway 'Namba Station'
Subway Midosuji Line / Sennichimae Line 'Namba Station'
TEL: 06-6648-8283
Business hours: 11:00 - 21:00

Lee Brand Overview

The H.D. Lee Mercantile Company was founded in 1889 by Henry David Lee as a wholesale merchant of food and daily necessities.
From 1911, the company started its own manufacturing of workwear, including bib overalls using 8oz denim.
Since then, it has created numerous masterpieces, such as cowboy pants affectionately known as '101' and the pioneer of white jeans 'Westerner', revolutionizing the jeans industry.
Lee continues to propose modern denim based on functionality and robust simplicity, while still keeping workwear like cowboy wear as its origin. It continues to evolve with the times.

Lee Official Website
EDWIN ONLINEMALL