Lee vs Nudie Jeans:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Nudie Jeans had more branded searches than Lee among denim brands in New Zealand. Nudie Jeans had about 1,300 branded searches, while Lee had 320. Nudie Jeans made up 9.5% of all denim brand searches we track, and Lee accounted for 2.3%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about denim brands, Lee appeared in three of the five answers and Nudie Jeans in two. Lee and Nudie Jeans were each mentioned first in two of the four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Nudie Jeans, about 4 searches for every 1 for Lee
Who does AI mention more?
Lee, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Nudie Jeans in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top denim brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Lee was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Nudie Jeans was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Lee and Nudie Jeans were each listed first in two of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Levi's4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Neuw4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Wrangler3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Lee3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Glassons2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Nudie Jeans2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Ksubi1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Abrand0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about denim brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which denim brand should I buy in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best denim brands in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best denim brand in New Zealand for everyday jeans?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“jeans nz”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“premium denim brands”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Lee or Nudie Jeans more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Lee and Nudie Jeans by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight denim brands we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Nudie Jeans, Lee. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Levi's | Abrand | Glassons | Ksubi | Nudie Jeans | Neuw | Wrangler | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 38.4% | 19% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 10.9% | 6.8% | 4.8% | 3.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 37% | 20.6% | 7.1% | 10.5% | 10.5% | 6.4% | 4.6% | 3.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 34.4% | 21.8% | 6.8% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 5.7% | 4.5% | 2.4% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.8% | 20.4% | 8% | 11.9% | 11.9% | 6.3% | 5.8% | 2.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 35% | 20.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 8% | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 34.1% | 19.5% | 11% | 11% | 9% | 8.8% | 3.8% | 2.7% |
| Apr 2026 | 30.2% | 22.6% | 10.6% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.5% | 5.4% | 2.6% |
| May 2026 | 31.6% | 19.1% | 9.9% | 8% | 11.7% | 8.8% | 7.9% | 3% |
| Jun 2026 | 36.4% | 18.9% | 9.8% | 7.9% | 11.6% | 6.8% | 5.6% | 2.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 29.3% | 21.6% | 10.2% | 8.3% | 12.1% | 8.3% | 7.1% | 3.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 42.2% | 18.2% | 8.6% | 7% | 8.6% | 6.6% | 6.4% | 2.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 33.9% | 21.2% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9.5% | 9% | 5.1% | 2.3% |
How has the Lee and Nudie Jeans comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Nudie Jeans was ahead of Lee in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Lee’s share of searches among denim brands in New Zealand moved from 3.3% to 2.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 390 to 320.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nudie Jeans’ share of searches among denim brands in New Zealand moved from 10.9% to 9.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand denim brands in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Ksubi overtook Nudie Jeans to rank 4th among denim brands in New Zealand, with 9.5% of the searches.
In September 2026, Nudie Jeans gained share of searches among denim brands in New Zealand, from 8.6% to 9.5%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Lee in New Zealand fell 17.9% over 12 measured months, from 390 to 320 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Lee’s and Nudie Jeans’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Lee
1 branded search term
- lee jeans
Nudie Jeans
1 branded search term
- nudie jeans
Other head-to-heads among denim brands
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