Lee introduced the 101Z, widely recognized as an early zipper-front jean.
The Lee 101 line originated as workwear, and the 101Z version used a zipper rather than the button fly associated with many earlier riveted jeans. The change made the garment quicker to put on and take off and reflected the broader adoption of zippers in American clothing during the twentieth century.
The 101Z should not be confused with every early zipper garment or with later Lee fashion models. Its importance comes from the way Lee applied a zipper to a recognizable denim workwear design, helping establish an alternative to the traditional button-fly format.
Lee was founded in Kansas in 1889 and became a major American workwear and jeans brand. Its history is separate from Levi Strauss & Co. and Wrangler, even though all three companies helped shape the modern jeans market.