Now, Santis is trying to recreate that same magic on a much broader scale with New Balance. To find out more, please visit our Privacy Policy. Thats the kid who I believe is the futures loyal consumer, not the kid whos running around wearing Kanye merch. Lately, massive sneaker drops have traded in the bizarre: the hottest collaborators in the industry are sought out specifically because brand executives want to spike the punch bowl. sat down with the brand's founder Teddy Santis to talk about his inspiration, plans for the future, and to get his take on the current streetwear market END: Tell us a bit about your background, and how the concept for Aim Leon Dore came about? Everyone likes to complain about gentrification, but New York is gentrification. Since Aim Leon Dores beginnings in 2014, Santis has established himself as a force within New York and mens fashion at large. The Aim Leon Dore designer is rolling out three new versions of the sportswear brand's classic 990 sneaker. All rights reserved. END: Youve mentioned that the decision to open a physical space in New York was to do with being able to convey the brands identity in a way that goes deeper than experiencing the products. Perhaps most striking is hownormal everything looks. Attached to the carefully curated store, Santis history of working in his family diner comes alive in the form of Caf Leon Dore. With the success of their first NB550 launch, it only made sense to do it again and do it better. Teddy Santis: Im always looking back at my childhood and what inspired me then and how I can translate that today. By now sneaker fans had accepted Santis and New Balance as a regular thing and were hyped about it too. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Teddy Santis: Yes, but maybe not as much as I wish they were. The whole court is like a giant runway.. In almost no time Santis followed up his first NB Made in USA release with the New Balance 990v3 Made in USA Sea Salt. This colorway dropped just days after the first pair, signifying that the floodgates are officially open and that we have a lot to lookout for. dermatologist recommended skin care routine for 20s. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. People all over the world express how much they love the name which is always refreshing because of how honest it is and what it means to me. I think it initially started with kids not being able to afford nice things, which forced them to create their own vibe. This physical manifestation of Santis desire for a revival of community within the streetwear scene is a growing sentiment shared by contemporaries such as the aforementioned KITH. The latest 990 V3 from Teddy Santis and New Balance demonstrates a shared love of refinement. Teddy Santis: We try and create multiple moments that hit you with a ton of emotion when you experience them at the same time. The first drop includes Santiss take on the V1, V2, and V3, a series of shoes that get chunkier with each iteration. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. "I was . teddy santis wife denise; teddy santis wife denise. A few years ago, we went through this five year stint of the whole Americana vibe in New York where motherfuckers were walking around in like Red Wing boots and trucker hats and these fucking plaid shirts and deer heads on the wall. I hope to be taking the right steps with this side of the brand so we can create something people like myself appreciate and want to be a part of. The stellar help with copping shoes is a given but it's the community that makes it extra special. [17], The brand's design is influenced by classic hip hop and basketball, and Teddy Santis's experiences growing up between Queens and Greece in the 1990s. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times reviewed ALD's Mulberry flagship in his column "Critical Shopper." Teddy Santis. Our clothes havent gone unaffected either: I got a text from a friend the other day sincerely asking me to help him understand what was so cool about Justin Biebers 90s-inspired, super-baggy Grammys suit And while we love a purposefully Bad Suit as much as the next person, its these clothesand this stylingthat help the new New Balance collection stand apart. On April 5th, 2021, ALD's frontman was appointed Creative Director of New Balance's "Made In USA" program, exciting fans of both parties with the prospect that the decision would distill Santis'. StockX - The live marketplace of current culture. Free shipping on full-price orders over $100 USD and other orders over $300 USD. Ad Choices, Teddy Santis and New Balance Bring Out the Big Dogs for Their First Collection Together. Aim Leon Dore Teddy Santis New Balance"Made In USA" 990 40 "Made In USA" Teddy Santis 990v1990v2990v3 iconic "Made In USA" American causal sports fashion MADE Teddy Santis "I do this every day, like a crazy person." Santis, 28, grew up in Queens. The Greece-loving creative has. Denise is Teddy's ex-wife. This duo comes ready to wear in Tan and Grey colorways, both finished with Olive Green highlights. It puts me in a place where I feel responsible to make sure the kid who loves ALD today, understands this and what it really represents. [16], In February 2020, ALD released the first-of-its-kind ALD 964, a one-of-one custom 1990 Porsche 964 911 Carrera 4 restored with Porsche's blessing and support, the first time they had lent their official backing to a vintage 911 restoration. Fashion for me, in one way or another, always complimented every aspect of this culture that I enjoyed. Prove you are a human by answering the following question: . A little over a year after announcing they were becoming more than collaborators, New Balance and Aim Leon Dores Teddy Santis are set to release their first collection together. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. But streetwear-streetwear, I believe comes from here. And while Santis may have purged the hype from the look of his clothes, hes adept at creating buzz in other ways. Rather, the brand focuses on authenticity and longevity, with the clothing coming secondary to their commitment towards storytelling Santis youth. You're not going to get picked. Taking Leon from his fathers childhood nickname and Dore from the second-half of his first name, Santis was able to move forward with Aim Leon Dore. This route took me to a place where I started to meet people who enjoyed the same things I did and for all the same reasons. Instagram Instagram Can't say enough about SS. Teddy Santis was born in the cruel yet nostalgic culture-factory of New York City. When I was going through these trademark issues my wife Denise, who . The Teddy Santis New Balance 990v1 Made In USA Incense Macadamia Nut is set to release on June 30th, 2022 through New Balance and select NB retailers online and in-store. Santiss first campaign for the Made in USA line, rolled out earlier this spring, features a bunch of quote-unquote real people: bakers, butchers, barbers, tailors, painters, and florists. 794d), and relevant implementing regulations, as well as with the recommendations contained in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, promulgated by the World Wide Web Consortium, as may be updated and/or otherwise amended from time to time. Built upon a core philosophy of authenticity, ALD opts to subvert the oft-shallow obsession for hype product in favour of fostering close relationships with customers that go beyond exceptional garments to tell a story soaked in Queens' heritage. It's interesting because this neighborhood context that gave birth to rap and sportswear and streetwear was very much a local phenomenon, but one that is now completely networked. If you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of this site or need assistance in using the processes found within this site please contact us here: https://www.aimeleondore.com/pages/contact. Is creating this type of world or atmosphere a part of your brand? Despite not having a formal background in fashion or design, Santis has always been championed for his tasteful eye and gravitational pull towards poise. Theyve done a ton for New York. Headquarters. My shoes came in a gray box with a strange sticker and the side of the shoe where it says "encap" is engraved. Hairy suede in a darker beige hue reinforces the forefoot and heel. You never went to fashion school, or worked for a big house in Paris. I really grew up listening to Mobb Deep, Nas, and all of themthese guys whose sound still resonates with me and everything I fuck with. Masterfully synthesising Big Apple nostalgia and contemporary sensibility to create elevated urban essentials, ALD's exploration of sophisticated streetwear reaches a level of luxury not commonly seen from independent design outfits. For me, Ralph Lauren is the perfect thing. Theres very little middle ground between being completely basic or a total fashion victim. Along with the first drop from Season 2 releasing this month, readers can preview upcoming sneakers and apparel from the full range below. Teddy Santis and New Balanceare gearing up to release Season 2 of the Made in USA creative directors collection. Santis divulged to SSENSE that streetball plays a heavy influence on Aime Leon Dores styling, where he was quoted saying: I grew up playing ball all my life. [10][11], In 2019, ALD moved to a larger storefront on nearby Mulberry St, That also has an attached nostalgic coffee shop. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Website. Each of these respective events is smartly paired with well-thought capsules that pay homage to New York streetball culture. Teddy Santis: I was born and raised in Queens, NY by immigrant Greek parents who believed in hard work and making sure we never forgot where we came from. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. So essentially, I was attracted to anything that looked or made me feel good with whatever I was into atthe time. We will make all reasonable efforts to make that page accessible. Teddy Santis: The name for the brand was initially just aim because I loved what it meant and how it resonated with me, but I couldnt trademark it. Im trying to keep it as authentic as we can so we eventually have the audience we want for the opportunity to completely tie both of these worlds together seamlessly. The campaign for this sneaker pack nodded to Santiss love for New York as the ads displayed graffiti and the lookbook featured Action Bronson and Mordechai Rubenstein. Nothing is weird; there are no Ugly Sneakers. Its very hard to understand that era of music and of the city if you didnt live through it. The result was Aim Leon Dore (ALD), a brand that creates smart and effortless menswear dipped in the milieu of 90s rap. [1] [2] Led by founder Teddy Santis, [2] Aim Leon Dore has their flagship store located on Mulberry Street in Manhattan 's Nolita . He is active in playing football since his school days. When New Balance named Aim Leon Dore's Teddy Santis as the new creative director of its Made in USA line last April, sneakerheads expected big things. I feel like mens fashion in particular is subject to these types of tragic trends. The kids who were once taking the train to SoHo or meeting their friends on the courts are now on their phones learning about contemporary art and architecture. And here we are today END: Where did the name Aim Leon Dore come from? Since then, we've seen a number of Aime Leon Dore collabs, but finally, we get a first look at the Teddy Santis New Balance 990 MADE in USA lineup. Image via Justin Chung I feel like in the last five years the whole menswear market got really fucked up and oversaturated to the point where you have $1000 sneakers on the market. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. This New Balance 990v2 Made in USA release kicked off Santis official debut as the Creative Director for the line. 57 Excellent Gift Ideas to Spoil All the Deserving Guys Out There, The 17 Best New Menswear Items to Buy This Week, The Best White T-Shirts, According to GQ Editors, Inside New Balances Plans to Topple the Global Sneaker Hierarchy, The Latest Levis 501 Takes It Back to the '50s. The result was Aim Leon Dore (ALD), a brand that creates smart and . When asked about his inspirations behind ALD, Santis disclosed that he often references legacy brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Nom de Guerre which had a huge impact on his own personal style and aesthetic. What started out as a collaborative series between Aim Leon Dore and New Balance has turned into a full blown partnership, with Teddy Santis being named the new Creative Director for the New Balance Made in USA line. . There, Santis posted a picture of a screen-printed sweater with a janky, horrible logo made in Illustrator onto Fiegs Instagram page and the photo quickly garnered hundreds of likes and captivated the interest of many others.

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