Lee Cooper buses into town

By ELLEN READ

UK firm Lee Cooper has customised its advertising to mark the launch of its men's jeans range in New Zealand this month.

The campaign begins in May with bus-back ads from overseas which have been reshot with a local model.

A print campaign, with the same model, will run from September.

Lee Cooper - which hails from Britain where the company was the first to make and design jeans in Europe - is being brought to New Zealand by Pacific Brands.

Category manager Natalie Winter said the company identified a gap in the market for well-priced jeans with a strong fashion edge.

The men's range, with four styles and seven washes, is all that's available at present but the women's range is expected to follow.

A "best of British" launch at the British Consulate kicked off the brand's presence, complete with Consul General Stephen Turner modelling a pair.

Turner had obviously studied up on the brand and was confidently telling those gathered that Lee Cooper was the first company to put the fly zip in women's jeans.

The brand was founded by Maurice Cooper in London in 1908 with the production of work-wear and "bib and brace" overalls.

The company changed its name to Lee Cooper after World War 2, and subsequently changed direction under the management of Maurice's son Harold (Lee was his wife's maiden name).

"Lee Cooper is a successful international brand and provides something new and different to the New Zealand market," said Andrew Carpenter from Pacific Brands.

"Its reintroduction to New Zealand is one of the most significant developments for Pacific Brands in 2004," he said.

The jeans were available for a time in New Zealand 25 years ago.

Pacific Brands, which has just launched pop star Kylie Minogue's lingerie range locally, is due to list on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges next month.