Kacey Musgraves is having a moment.
Thanks to her humorous and slightly risqué new single, “Dry Spell,” the country singer and eight-time Grammy Award winner is finding even greater success on country radio and at the industry’s biggest showcases.
Now she has teamed with Lee for the brand’s first celebrity collaboration. The two are partnering on Kacey Lee, a line that will be sold exclusively at Walmart. Ironically, Lee is Musgraves’ middle name.
The 100-piece collection includes men’s and women’s denim and tops as well as sleepwear, swimwear, accessories and pet items. She performed “Dry Spell” at Sunday’s Academy of Country Music awards in a custom pair of the collection’s super short denim shorts.
“We are thrilled to work with Kacey and Walmart on this collection,” said Vivian Rivetti, global vice president for design at Lee. “Lee has been providing denim staples and trend-relevant styles to Walmart shoppers for 30 years. This capsule is a new opportunity to showcase Lee’s craftsmanship and quality in silhouettes that reflect Kacey and will appeal to younger consumers. The collection feels fresh, modern — perfect for enjoying summer concerts — and it’s at a value that only Walmart can offer.”
The Kacey Lee collection comes on the heels of Musgraves’ sixth studio album, “Middle of Nowhere,” that was released May 1. Lyrics and visual elements from that album and others are incorporated into T-shirts, hats and other pieces. Nods to her Texas roots and Americana style are also featured throughout.
Musgraves and her dog Pepper with a male model in the Kacey Lee collection.
Luke Gilford
“The idea of this capsule excited me, not only because my middle name is ‘Lee,’ but because it feels very nostalgic,” Musgraves said. “I grew up wearing Lee and I wear a lot of denim, vintage Ts and workwear, so this partnership felt like a natural fit. I loved collaborating on the designs and finding ways to incorporate my lyrics and elements of my personality. The goal is always to design pieces I would personally wear, and I know y’all will love it as much as I do.”
Key pieces include a women’s high-rise bootcut jean with an allover star pattern and red logo patch on the back and a women’s high-rise denim short with a two-inch inseam, curved dolphin hem, red stitching and a red Lee back patch. There’s also a women’s denim vest and a Rider denim cheeky short. The vest is slim with an adjustable back bucket and silver custom buttons while the cutoff short has a 2.5-inch low rise with a raw cuffed hem and a star-printed pocket pattern that peeks out the bottom.
Other pieces include loose-fitting women’s carpenter jeans and a cropped chore jacket; a Western denim shirt for men and women; a men’s straight-leg relaxed jean and utility jacket in a subtle paisley print, and a men’s carpenter short and jean in a hickory stripe pattern.
The graphic T-shirt assortment ranges from tank tops to oversize silhouettes, and the swimwear is offered in bikinis and one-pieces for women and include patterns that coordinate with the men’s offering.
There are also denim-inspired totes, handbags, hats, bag charms, belts and other accessories.
And finally, the pet fashion — from tops and dresses to caps — was inspired by Musgraves’ dog, Pepper, an Australian cattle dog or blue heeler.
Courtesy of Lee
“We’re proud to bring this exclusive collaboration to our customers as we continue to build Walmart as a destination for fashion, culture and self-expression,” said Ryan Waymire, senior vice president of adult fashion for Walmart U.S. “Our long-standing partnership with Lee, rooted in quality and heritage, combined with Kacey Musgraves’ distinctive voice and style, allows us to deliver a collection that feels both authentic and fresh. Together, we’re offering standout pieces that make incredible style accessible for customers — whether they’re shopping for everyday wear or their next summer concert.”
The collection will range in price from $8 to $42 for the fashion and $6 to $25 for the accessories and pet items, and will hit 2,100 Walmart stores and online beginning Tuesday.
Lee, which is currently part of Kontoor Brands with fellow denim brand Wrangler, was put up for sale earlier this month. Authentic Brands Group is among the companies that is said to be interested in purchasing the brand. In the first quarter, Lee had sales of $195 million and it is projected to have sales of $750 million this year. Lee traces its history to 1889 when Henry David Lee and four business partners established the H.D. Lee Mercantile Company in Kansas, a dry goods and grocery store business. In 1912, the company opened a garment factory in Salina, Kan., to product overalls and work jackets.
Walmart has been shining more of a focus on its fashion business as of late. In releasing its third-quarter earnings in November, the retailer said fashion products grew more than 5 percent in the period with growth across men’s, women’s and childrenswear. The company hired Saks Fifth Avenue veteran Denise Incandela in 2017 as executive vice president of its U.S. apparel division and Brandon. Maxwell joined in 2021 as creative director of its Scoop and Free Assembly brands, which are now offered as premium private apparel brands.
