Lee is owned by Kontoor Brands (the United States, NYSE: KTB), which was separated from VF Corporation on 23 May 2019.[1][2] Before Kontoor Brands, Lee was owned by VF Corporation from 1969 to 2019.[2]
Lee was founded in Kansas in 1889 and introduced the zip fly to workwear in 1926 and the Union-All coverall in 1913. It is one of the three original American denim brands alongside Levi's and Wrangler, and is particularly strong in Asia.
Kontoor Brands agreed to sell the Lee jeans brand to an affiliate of Authentic Brands Group for up to $1 billion: $750 million in cash at closing and up to $250 million more in an earnout. It would leave Kontoor with Wrangler and Helly Hansen, and put Lee with the brand-licensing group that already owns Nautica and Brooks Brothers and licenses its names to operators rather than making the clothes itself.
VF Corporation spun off its jeanswear business as Kontoor Brands, distributing shares to VF shareholders. The separation let VF concentrate on outdoor and activewear brands growing faster than denim, and gave Wrangler and Lee a management team focused on that category alone.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Lee?
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The parent company of Lee is Kontoor Brands, a publicly listed company headquartered in the United States.
Is Lee American?
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Yes. Lee originated in the United States in 1889 and its owner, Kontoor Brands, is also headquartered in the United States.
Since when has Kontoor Brands owned Lee?
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Kontoor Brands has owned Lee since 23 May 2019.
Who owned Lee before Kontoor Brands?
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Before Kontoor Brands, Lee was owned by VF Corporation from 1969 until 2019.
Is Lee still owned by Kontoor Brands?
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Yes. As of 16 September 2026, Lee is still owned by Kontoor Brands. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (3) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.