JJ Lee was born in 1969 in Montreal and grew up primarily on the city’s South Shore. He studied fine arts at Concordia University and holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of British Columbia.
He is the author of The Measure of a Man: The Story of a Father, a Son, and a Suit,published in hardcover by McClelland & Stewart and in paperback by Emblem Editions.
The Measure of a Man was shortlisted for the 2011 Governor-General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the 2012 Charles Taylor Prize for Non-Fiction, and the 2011 BC Book Prizes Hubert Evans Prize for Non-Fiction.
His fashion and personal essays are published in ELLE Canada. Currently the essay, “ELLE First: You are beautiful,” is nominated for a National Magazine Award in the category of Best Short Feature.
JJ writes a monthly menswear advice column for The Vancouver Sun which is syndicated across Canada. He presents, when called upon, a fashion column for CBC Radio in Vancouver.
He has worked in broadcasting as a writer, contributor, comedy performer, reporter, and producer for such CBC Radio programs as Basic Black, Out Front, The Current, Richardson’s Roundup, Sounds Like Canada, and Ideas, for which he prepared a radio documentary on the social history of suits that inspired The Measure of a Man.
JJ Lee lives in New Westminster, British Columbia.
