Lee 125th Anniversary Archive Tour

It's not every day that a brand reaches its 125th year, so when it does you bet there will be a celebration to mark this huge milestone. To celebrate its 125th anniversary, Lee set up a two-storey mini museum dubbed the Lee Archives, a chronicle of the long journey Lee went through before it became the global brand we know of today. The Lee Archives made its rounds of the metro and I was able to make it to the second leg of the tour in Robinsons Place Manila on Friday last week.

A quick run-through of the Lee Archives showed us Lee's timeline ever since it started. There were framed pieces of clothing and memento from different eras so we saw how much the brand has adapted with the changing times. The only thought running through my mind was how fascinating it was to see that something that was meant to be utilitarian has evolved into a fashion staple that every wardrobe should have a nice fitting pair of!

There was also a mini fashion show that showcased Lee's Spring-Summer collection was showcased as styled by top fashion bloggers and stylists David Guison and Tin Iglesias.

Ana and I with the man and woman of the hour David and Tin!

Now here comes my favorite part: we got to personalize our own Lee 125th Anniversary Jeans! Yes, aside from the museum, the celebration involved many different workstations where everyone went to explore their denim creativity.

I consider myself lucky because I got the last pair of jeans in my size! Another bonus? I really liked its dark denim finish and white stitches and small details in the pockets. After ticking what I wanted from the checklist a la Make Your Own Havaianas, I fell in line to the different stations.

A closer look at my leather patch monogrammed with my initials ❤ 

While waiting, we took photos - lots and lots of photos. Here are some of them.

I'm glad I got to attend the event with these people! Thanks Mike, Aivan, Ana, Ruth, Kath, David, and Tin!

Drumroll please, here's my Lee 125th Anniversary Jeans!

This pair was randomly given so I didn't get to decide on the finish and fabric, but I must say I loved it and would've picked it up myself given the chance. In any case, I customized everything else in these jeans down to the button and rivets, so it's really custom-made for me. You could actually have it ripped, distressed, and/ or whiskered, but since I wanted to be able to wear this in the office I decided to leave it as is. Besides, distressed denims are not really my style. So yes, I left the workshop with my jeans *almost* looking like it's not done yet, but I love it and I can't wait to wear it! Thanks, Lee Jeans!