Disclaimer: We welcome Alexandre to our columns, a streetwear enthusiast who has been around the world. Today, he introduces us to a New York brand with a special DNA: Aimé Leon Dore. The floor is his!
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Streetwear is on the rise. In the trough of this wave that is sweeping the fashion world, consumers will inevitably be confronted with the usual excesses of hype , prohibitive prices for a quality that is not there, including among brands that want to be references. It is difficult to find your way around when it comes to investing your precious money.
It is in this context that Aimé Leon Dore burst onto the scene. Behind this name with its very local sound, we discover an American brand that has made quality one of its watchwords , playing on several tables. 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 Americans would write in French. After all, we can find Homecore or Harmony in the same niche. True, but in fact no: a simple glance will be enough to convince yourself that the brand sounds much more street than its counterparts claiming to be part of the movement, but having since switched to casual chic . Especially since ALD is mainly focused 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 creator
It’s hard to believe given the maturity that oozes from his lookbooks, but Aimé Leon Dore is only four years old. Even crazier, its creator Teddy Santis, 31 years old, had no experience in fashion before launching. The son of Greek immigrants, he started out helping out at the family restaurant before working in an optician’s. No art or design school on the side. Just a few connections.
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 . As proof, the " about " section of his website initially only included a link to the iTunes page of 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 recreate his references through clothing, and the whole atmosphere he has created around it. The store he recently opened in Lower Manhattan is littered with court-worn balls, spray paint cans and Nike Air Force 1s. On the Web, lookbooks, like the brand's blog, convey a refined universe that is clearly New York and inspiring.
André Leon Dore Boutique.
Personally, it makes me want to cross the Atlantic with Tribe Called Quest in my ears, to go tease the swell at Rucker Park, hang out in NoLita and hum Starship Orchestra's " New York, New York " on the Brooklyn Bridge — because there's more to life than Sinatra.
Aimé Leon Dore, “a storyteller more than anything”
What I mean by this, perhaps going too far, is that a certain authenticity emerges from all this. This is also the characteristic that the creator defends in the first place:
“ I think we’re storytellers more than anything, and the product comes after. Nobody wants to wear anything today unless they believe in what it represents. I don’t want the guys who don’t care as consumers. They’re in it for the short term, and they’re going to hurt the brand because of it.”
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 hard but if you stick to your guns long enough because you believe in it, then getting where you want to go is just a matter of time, hard work and an honest approach ." Teddy Santis, at End.
Nice mentality, isn't it?
An American success story
After having filed the name of Aimé Leon Dore , Santis launched his first collection just four years ago, exclusively to order. A sober line, which plays on the classic even in the choice of colors — blue, gray, white, beige, with a simple touch of red. The pieces are sold in a few minutes, the test is successful.
The first collection. The basic colours of the men's wardrobe, well-designed cuts. It's perfect.
Since then, ALD has revised its business model to switch to 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 label's variations. Some will regret the even more minimalist beginnings , but the designer justifies the change by values that are now stronger.
Values that have seduced a few celebrities, as well as the media and men's fashion sites. Better still, they have all contributed to its good reputation, from Highsnobiety magazine which calls it "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 hype, first posts from Instagram influencers… Seen like that, we could say that the hype is not far away. Except that ALD remains very discreet about the promotion/marketing aspect, and that other collaborations tend to prove that he still cultivates his difference in the industry , by playing the purist. It is not for nothing that Santis rejects 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 collab: ALD x Woolrich.
It is this positioning, both outside of current standards while being in the know, which brings us back to the essential: where young companies fumble and sometimes make clumsy choices to stand out, Aimé Leon Dore has managed to stand out thanks to a universe that is as sincere as it is refined... and clothes imbued with these values.
The 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 especially the hoodie. It's THE key piece 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. of cotton to keep you warm in style.
The fleece exudes quality. As for the branding, it remains very discreet, while being embroidered . We insist on this point: in the era of low-end screen prints that fade after the third wash — streetwear fans know what I'm talking about — it's the little things that make the difference. Like this thermal lining that we find on both tops and bottoms. Cotton that, through a particular weave with a waffle texture, has breathable and insulating properties . Enough to be comfortable in summer and winter, especially since like 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 and bomber jackets, regularly in the spotlight, and here below in very beautiful wool.
To be completely honest, I even opened a PEL in case one of these two models came across on the internet.
"Wool," did I say? Yes, that's where ALD enters the high-end market. Mister Santis doesn't skimp on the quality of the materials: he goes hunting for his wool and cotton to England, Italy or Japan, before making its coats, pants, knitwear and shirts in New York workshops. It is this "chic" part that has remained produced in the Big Apple.
…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 clothes, such as a straight coat which has become a regular in 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 gabardine, makes perfect sense here. This is where style becomes distinguished , and the visuals are the perfect demonstration of this.
ALD invites layering : several pieces seem to have been developed solely in this direction and small details, such as the double-slider zippers, encourage the superposition of elements.
Resolutely street on one side, elegant on the other. In both cases, layering is effective, and gives volume to the outfits.
For fans of a more edgy style looking for statement 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 pants came to energize this winter collection. We even saw kimonos here and there.
So who dares?
In conclusion…
Aimé Leon Dore, through the care he gives to details and materials, manages to create timeless pieces of high quality. Its positioning at the crossroads of branches makes it relatively accessible: it will speak as much to the young streetwear fan, eager to raise the level of his wardrobe, as to the older man in search of versatility. Whatever his style, we are bound to find interesting things there. All the more so if we are sensitive to what the brand conveys, and with such brilliance that we must recognize its greatest strength there.
Obviously, not everything is perfect. In terms of sizing, it is worth remembering that in the US, it is large . To give you an idea, peaking at 1m75 for 70 kilos, I navigate between XS and S depending on the pieces - XS for the essential that is the 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, such as pants or a premium wool coat, go up to $400 or $1,000, for street basics like sweatshirts and hoodies, at $180 on average, there is reason to hesitate. Especially when European retailers do not apply the conversion that would be advantageous to us, when a print replaces embroidery... or when we know that two years ago, the crewneck cost $20 to $30 less than today, for 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 its young existence . 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 turning points that it would be better to avoid in order to preserve its spirit free from the surrounding hype and the minimalist and timeless side of its products, which constitute its essence. And its strength. For it to continue to give a touch of class and authenticity to a style, it would be good if Aimé Leon lasted as it is.
