Lee Repros...

[Shorty Long]

what's your opinion on the Lee jeans reproductions coming out of Japan? They seem to be of very good quality (better than LVC?), and aeroleather speaks pretty highly of them.

anyone here have any experience with them?

[Teddy Boy Rocker]

i have the 1937 hair on hide buckleback repros...great jeans, the denim is thinner i think than LVC and even tho its sanforized they shrink more than the tags say they will (shrank about 1 full size). typical old school cowboy cut with a high rise and full hips....look great with the proper gear.

my friends have the normal Lee selvage repros and they also seem very good quality and wear nicely over time. definitely a rockabilly standard.

[Paul T]

THe Edwin-made ones are very good quality. I'm interested to hear that they shrink, too. The European-made repros went through several phases - initally made in Eire, and supposedly Sanforized (altho they still shrink too), with more details such as the pocket linings. Then they were made in Malta, without the Sanforized tab, and finally in Poland.

I think they're all great jeans, particularly in terms of value for money, and when they first appeared were better than the competing 'Capital E' Levi's. The denim used was dark, with a gree hue, and if you dry-clean them for the first six months or so give a great, high contrast fade. The Euro ones have a cut a bit like 1947 501s, with straight legs, and a high, but not too high waist.

I think all the Lees, japanese, and at least the early European, were made with Fabric from Nisshinbo. If i get some spare time I'll post pix of some well-worn examples I have.

[soultek]

what's the best source to buy the Japanese Lee repros? I'm in Los Angeles.

Teddy, I'm going to check out those Evil jeans first though in LB..

[M4TM]

i saw a pair of kick ass dry selvage ones with the cow hide patch - i'm still pissed that i didn't pick them up when i saw my size...

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