Lee taps Slam Jam for distribution of premium Lee 101 line in Europe
The denim brand, owned by American Kontoor Brands, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Italian company Slam Jam for its premium Lee 101 line. The agreement is effective for spring-summer 2026 sales throughout the Europe-Middle East-Africa region.
The Lee 101 collection brings together the brand's most elaborate pieces. Delving deep into the brand's archives, with elaborate tailoring and a qualitative choice of materials, Lee 101 brings a more cutting-edge interpretation of denim. Lee's management also decided to draw on the expertise of the Italian distribution company founded in 1989 in Ferrara by Luca Benini, a recognized player among premium fashion retailers in the street and heritage worlds. Slam Jam had a showroom in Paris until June 28.
This agreement comes at a time when Kontoor Brands is optimizing its organization under the Jeanius plan. In 2024, overall sales fell by 6% to $2.5 billion, including $791 million for the Lee brand. The start of 2025 has confirmed this trend, with a 9% decline in the first quarter.
Through this agreement, Lee aims to achieve a targeted redeployment of its Lee 101 line, strengthening its presence in a selective distribution channel and drawing on Slam Jam's expertise to adapt its product discourse to markets in demand for authentic storytelling and textile know-how.
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