Disclaimer: We welcome Alexandre to our columns, a streetwear enthusiast who has worked across the Atlantic. Today, he introduces us to a New York brand with a particular DNA: Aimé Leon Dore. The floor is his!
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Streetwear is on the rise. In the trough of this wave which is sweeping across the fashion planet, the consumer will inevitably be confronted with the usual excesses of hype , prohibitive prices for quality that is not there, including from brands that claim to be benchmarks. It's difficult to find your way around when investing your precious funds.
It is in this context that Aimé Leon Dore arrived. Behind this local-sounding name, we discover an American brand that has made quality one of its watchwords , playing on several fronts. Traditional streetwear pieces rub shoulders with other more formal classics, in a resolutely minimalist atmosphere. Casual but chic, ALD is sophisticated streetwear.
I see you coming with this “ déjà vu ” that the Americans would write in French. After all, we can find Homecore or Harmony in the same niche. Certainly, but in fact no: a simple glance will be enough to convince oneself that the brand sounds much more street than its counterparts claiming to be part of the movement, but having since shifted towards casual chic . Especially since ALD focuses above all on telling a particular story: that of a mythical New York.
A young brand that focuses on Old School
Teddy Santis in front of his house.
Teddy Santis, the nostalgic designer
Hard to believe given the maturity that exudes from his lookbooks, but Aimé Leon Dore is only four years old. Even crazier, its creator Teddy Santis, 31, had no experience in fashion before launching. The son of Greek immigrants, he started by helping in the family restaurant before working in an optical store. No parallel art or design school. Just a few relationships.
His background lies in a keen eye for the streets of New York, a passion for basketball and hip-hop, and a certain nostalgia for his golden age, the 90s . Proof of this is that the “ about ” section of his website initially only included a link to the iTunes page for Nas' first album, the memorable Illmatic . There's no secret.
Back in the Good Old Days.
Santis, who grew up like his rapper idol in Queens, wants to restore his references through clothing, and all the atmosphere he was able to create around it. The store he recently opened in Lower Manhattan is littered with field-tired footballs, spray paint and Nike Air Forces. On the Web, lookbooks, like the brand's blog, convey a refined, clearly New York and inspiring universe.
Shop André Leon Dore.
Personally, it makes me want to cross the Atlantic with Tribe Called Quest in my ears, to go tease at Rucker Park, hang out at NoLita and hum Starship Orchestra's “ New York, New York ” on the Brooklyn Bridge — because there's more than just Sinatra in life.
Aimé Leon Dore, “storyteller more than anything”
What I mean by that, probably going too far, is that a certain authenticity emerges from all of this. This is also the characteristic that the creator defends in the first place:
“ I believe that we are storytellers more than anything, and that the product comes afterwards. No one wants to wear anything today without believing in what it represents. I don't want guys who don't care as consumers. They are short term, and will harm the brand for this reason.
Half the people wear something because everyone else does. It's not because of what it really represents or because they really like it... In today's market, trying to do what you set out to do is difficult but if you stick to your guns long enough because you believe in it, then getting where you want to go will just be a matter of time, hard work and an honest approach .” Teddy Santis, at End.
Nice mentality, isn't it?
An American success story
After registering the name of Aimé Leon Dore
The first collection. The basic colors of the men's wardrobe, well-designed cuts. It's perfect.
Since then, ALD has revised its economic model to shift towards something more 'conventional', and transferred part of its production, originally exclusively in New York, to Canada. The visuals have evolved, the range of colors has expanded, as have the variations of the brand. Some will regret the even more minimalist beginnings , but the creator justifies the turning point with now stronger values.
Values that have attracted some celebrities, as well as the media and men's fashion sites. Better still, they all contributed to giving it a good reputation, from Highsnobiety magazine which describes it as “the Big Apple's answer to APC ”, to Ssense and its naughty article “ The New York we fuck with ”. Unsurprisingly, the collaborations have begun: the New York reference Kith and the giant Puma have already joined the brand for capsules, allowing it to increase its notoriety.
Media excitement, first posts from Instagram influencers… Seen like that, we could say that the hype is not far away. Except that ALD remains very discreet on the promotion/marketing aspect, and that other collaborations tend to prove that it still cultivates its difference in the sector , by playing the purist. Not for nothing does Santis reject the term in his interviews, where he assures that he is “ not a fan of the current situation of streetwear ” and, therefore, “ satisfied with his position ”.
Latest collaboration: ALD x Woolrich.
It is this positioning, both on the fringes of current standards while being in the game, which brings us back to the essential: where young companies fumble and sometimes make clumsy choices to stand out, Aimé Leon Dore knew how to stand out from the crowd thanks to a universe that is as sincere as it is refined... and clothes imbued with these values.
ALD style: basics and more basics
Streetwear enhanced by details and materials…
What's interesting about this brand is that it elevates the basics . Let's take sweatshirts, and in particular the hoodie. It's THE centerpiece of Aimé Leon Dore, which we find in each collection, in a more or less thick cotton to adapt to the season — and for me, it will be forest green.
Aimé’s “Kanga hoodie”. An original cut, and 17 oz. cotton to keep out the cold in style.
The fleece exudes quality. As for the affixed label, it remains very discreet, while being embroidered . We insist on this point: in this day and age of low-end screen prints that fade after the third wash – streetwear fans know what I'm talking about – it's the little thing that makes the difference. Like this thermal lining that is found on both tops and bottoms. Cotton which, through a particular weave with an embossed texture, has breathable and insulating properties . Enough to be good in summer and winter, especially since like the sherpa and fleece (other regular guests), it's soft. Functional and comfortable, ALD never forgets the precepts of streetwear.
The thermal lining on these chinos will provide better insulation and, above all, greater comfort.
The entire street repertoire benefits from this same attention, from joggers to baseball shirts to bombers, regularly in the spotlight, and here in very beautiful wool.
To be honest, I even opened a PEL in case one of these two models came across the internet.
“Wool,” did I say? Yes, this is where ALD enters the high end. Mister Santis does not skimp on the quality of the materials: he goes hunting for his wool and cottons
…And pieces that ennoble streetwear
We come to the variety of pieces: if the sweatshirt belongs to sport and the street, here it is constantly associated with more formal clothing, such as a straight coat which has become a regular feature of winter collections.
Hoodie + long coat? We told you about it, and we repeat, it works.
It doesn't necessarily come to mind, but pairing merino-cashmere pants with a hoodie, or sweatpants with a gabardine, makes perfect sense here. This is where the style stands out , and the visuals are the perfect demonstration of this.
ALD invites layering : several pieces seem developed solely in this direction and small details, such as the double-slider zippers, encourage the layering of elements.
Resolutely street on one side, elegant on the other. In both cases, layering is effective and gives volume to outfits.
For fans of a more cutting-edge style looking for strong pieces, note that the brand discreetly slips them into each series. It was this jacket, available in three colors, that struck me last year, while these tartan patterned pants energized this winter collection. We even saw kimonos here and there.
So who dares?
In conclusion…
Aimé Leon Dore, through the care he pays to details and materials, manages to create timeless pieces of high quality. Its positioning at the crossroads of the branches makes it relatively accessible: it will appeal to both young streetwear fans, wanting to upgrade their wardrobe, and to older men looking for versatility. Whatever its style, you will inevitably find interesting things there. Even more so if we are sensitive to what the brand conveys, and with such brilliance that we must recognize its greatest strength.
Obviously, not everything is perfect. In terms of sizing, it should already be remembered that in the US, it's a large size . To give you an idea, peaking at 1m75 and 70 kilos, I go between XS and S depending on the pieces – XS for the essential hoodie! So unless you are looking for oversized , some may feel excluded.
Another problem is the price. While it is not shocking to see elaborate pieces, like pants or a coat in premium wool, go up to 400 or 1000 dollars, for street basics such as sweatshirts and hoodies, at $180 on average, it there is reason to hesitate. Especially when European retailers do not apply the conversion which would be advantageous to us, when a print supplants embroidery... or when we know that two years ago, the crewneck cost 20 to 30 dollars less than today today, with equivalent materials and production locations. The inflation of prices in the face of growing demand , unfortunately a habit of rising brands...
Which makes me say that on the cusp of international success, Aimé Leon Dore is at a turning point in his young life . Between the pricing policy and an increasingly present display on its pieces – which could be interpreted as a response to the palpable trend in current streetwear – there are shifts that it would be better to avoid in order to maintain its spirit freed from the surrounding hype and the minimalist and timeless side of its products, which constitute its essence. And his strength. For it to continue to give a touch of class and authenticity to a style, it would be good for Aimé Leon to last as it is.
