ODE TO A BRAND
Let’s cut to the chase— the “brand” is Aimé Leon Dore.
To even write about ALD earnestly in 2024 seems so unnecessary. By now, you’re all familiar with the brand’s influence and the chokehold they’ve had on the culture the last few years. So being that I’m writing about it here *blows dust off this ol’ blog* I thought I’d share my personal feelings and experiences surrounding the brand. And in honor of the brand celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite pieces from my collection and teamed up with my favorite photographers to document some looks I put together with Angelee.
To be clear: This shoot is 100% inspired by Aimé Leon Dore. Additionally, the wardrobe for this shoot is comprised exclusively of Aimé Leon Dore pieces from the last handful of years.
Also, this post is 0% sponsored by Aimé Leon Dore. I am simply a fan and wanted to show love to a brand that has given me a lot of joy and inspiration the last 5+ years.
“GROWN MAN STREETWEAR”
While I have a few pieces from 2018, I didn’t really start shopping ALD until the Spring/Summer 2019 collection. This collection arrived at a time where I was (perhaps unconsciously) looking to evolve my personal style, and I had no idea the impact this brand would have on my wardrobe shortly thereafter. As I’ve thoroughly documented on this blog for many years, my personal style at the time leaned very heavily toward the #menswear side of things with only a minimal amount of subversion.
So “grown-man streetwear” kind of struck me at the perfect time. Streetwear style in the typical sense felt a little too childish for me and wasn’t really my vibe. Sure, I liked certain elements (the sneakers), but most of it would have felt forced on me had I decided to go that route.
[Enter ALD]: On top of the irresistible nostalgia baked into the DNA of the brand (we’ll touch on that later), the stylings were the perfect bridge between my buttoned-up aesthetic and the inevitable casual-ness that would later seep into all aspects of life come 2020.
“I often feel simultaneously early AND late in discovering ALD when I did”
NOSTALGIA AND BEYOND
As with most Aimé fans of a certain age, the selection of references—the sports, the music, the fashion— is such a big part of why I love the brand so much. I still remember, upon finding ALD, having the feeling of being a kid getting excited about this stuff. This was a new world full of all the 90’s hip-hop, NY, sports, art, and fashion references a guy could ask for. The feelings I got as a kid seeing my sports idols looking ”super cool” on/off the playing field, my favorite rappers flipping the looks of heritage brands (and in some cases, creating their own brands)— all those feelings came rushing in the first time I dove in to Teddy Santis’s world.
And I know it sounds a little crazy, but I even find myself getting nostalgic over those older Aimé collections, circa 2018/2019. The brand was already bubbling in New York, but still felt very ‘IYKYK’ around here in Texas. Because of this, I often feel simultaneously early AND late in discovering ALD when I did. Nonetheless, revisiting those earlier lookbooks today just takes me back to a simpler time, even if it was just 5 years ago. This was a pre-COVID world. I was 5 years younger. And even though I wasn’t a spring chicken, I was not immune to the influence.
However, Teddy Santis and his team also do such a great job of constantly keeping one eye looking forward. And because of this, customers like me can feel like the brand is growing alongside them. For example: the first spring (S/S 2021) after Angelee and I bought our first house, ALD dropped the NB gardening-inspired collection— which landed so naturally now that I had my own backyard for the first time. The sneakers were a great add, but the star of that collection for me was the pair of gardening gloves that I continue to beat into the ground.
From there, we got the 2022 NB hiking capsule collection that fit in very nicely with my annual “7 Man Tent” camping trips. And more recently, this year’s golf collection— which I’m hoping has a sort of Pavlovian effect and actually inspires me to finally pick up the sport (the jury is still out, but I’ll be prepared with my beautiful leather ALD glove either way).
MY COLLECTION BY THE NUMBERS
Over the years, people have asked me things like, “how many ALD pieces do you own??” And while I’ve never actually counted, I thought this was an appropriate (albeit gauche) time as any to finally break down the numbers…
21 BOTTOMS (pants, shorts, sweats)
62 TOPS (jackets, sweaters, shirts, tees)
36 SHOES
62 HATS
If I’m being honest, there are some days where this feels like just entirely too much… and some days where it feels like it’s not enough.
AIME INFLUENCE
At this point, it’s almost too obvious to talk about how much Aimé has influenced seemingly every other brand out there— be it in these their marketing strategies or even in the clothes themselves.
On a personal level, I’ve certainly been influenced by the brand when it comes to style, but that influence has even extended into my creative and professional endeavors. When I’m crafting an architectural video for work, oftentimes I’m aiming to achieve “that feeling that a typical ALD video gives me”. Whether it’s the tone, the way I cut it, or even the sound selection— there’s no denying that the inspiration is there. More anecdotally, the brand has given me an even deeper appreciation for all my childhood interests and even my own heritage. I’m not of Greek descent like Teddy, but seeing the way he weaves in his culture to the brand and highlights it so beautifully is something I think about often.
LOOKING AHEAD…
We’ve all seen brands come and go, but the rise of Aimé Leon Dore has definitely felt unique in the menswear/streetwear space for all the reasons I’ve mentioned above. I’m really looking forward to seeing how ALD evolves over time, and even seeing how my own style evolves alongside the brand. Will I continue to accumulate ALD pieces at the same clip as the last five years? Who knows. But I’m grateful for what this brand has meant to me. I’m also grateful to Angelee, my brother, and Yesi for indulging me in this fun styling exercise that captures a really special moment in time.
- Eddie
Photography, Direction, Prop Stylist: Yesi Fortuna
Video, Lighting: Joshua Fortuna
Location: Production House