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Aime Leon Dore as specified on their "LinkedIn" page is a "lifestyle, sport and ready-to-wear brand based out of Queens New York", owned by Teddy Sanctis.

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On their company website their mission statement reads "With a strong focus and yet powerful design, we are driven to create timeless work by portraying an aesthetic that is uniquely our own".

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A shroud of secrecy surrounds the financial aspect of the company as Santis refuses to publicly provide revenue figures for Aime Leon Dore. It is therefore very hard to exactly quantify their figures and how much profit they are making annually. Aime Leon Dore is undoubtedly successful. It has been covered in many articles including Vogue, The New York Times and GQ. The New York Times stated that brand "took New York" and is a "template for the future of men's wear". The brand runs many campaigns and it is worn by many influential people. You will see the brand all over TikTok and Instagram.

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The brand, which bridges the streetwear-luxury gap and has taken on investment from LVMH, is a template for the future of men’s wear.

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Here is Teddy Santis, born and raised in Queens (1986), New York, He founded Aime Leon Dore in 2014. The inspiration for Aime Leon Dore comes from the influence of his Greek immigrant parents and living in New York. His aim and desire for the brand was to deliver timeless work by merging both cultures which lead to the founding of what we know of as Aime Leon Dore today. Santis is now the Creative Director for New Balance.

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Aimé Leon Dore founder Teddy Santis is a master of hype. His approach, however, is the polar opposite of Supreme-esque propaganda designed to create a noisy buzz. Instead, it is more of a subtle, carefully curated hum, and all the more intriguing for it.

In an age of endless Instagram brands, clothing resellers and a Gen-Z trend-driven mindset, Aimé Leon Dore boasts one buzzword that sets it apart: authenticity. Santis's own upbringing formed the building blocks for Aimé - music, culture and lifestyle are at its core. The best (and simultaneously most frustrating) part? He rarely agrees to interviews, and instead drip feeds news of upcoming releases and imagery to the brand's near half a million-strong following on Instagram, all while maintaining a strict no post policy on his own account. Inspo pictures captioned simply with a pin emoji are interspersed with lookbook and editorial shots on the Aimé Leon Dore grid, and recent snaps show his colourful, 100 per cent wool take on Clarks Originals' Wallabee shoes.

The brand's neo-heritage design blueprint has attracted a staunch following of hypebeasts and clothing obsessives alike since its conception in 2014, with each camp drawn to a different set of qualities in the label. Some fans appreciate the simple and timeless DNA that is a marriage of functional streetwear and varsity staples. Others have been won over by the impressive list of collaborations Santis has racked up over the years, with the likes of Kith, New Era, Timberland, Woolrich, Drake's and New Balance. The latter partnership is perhaps the most well-known, and has seen the sneaker brand's NB 997, 990v2, 990v5 styles and most recently the P550s reworked with a modern New Yorker twist - injected with a hint of Queens cool that has been a Santis signature since the beginning (he was raised in the borough by Greek parents).

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Aimé Leon Dore Is The Hypebeast-Approved Brand That Thrives By Staying Under The Radar

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Streetwear brands like Supreme thrive on hype, but New York-based label Aimé Leon Dore prefers to do things a little differently. Its founder Teddy Santis prides himself on a low-key, under the radar approach, which It-girls Bella Hadid, Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski have been quick to get on board with.

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Retail is dead; long live retail! Parsing the headlines on the current state of shopping is a confusing game. One day you hear millennials are only shopping online; the next, they want experiential IRL pop-ups. On the runway the sneaker hype is over; on the street it's still very much alive. How do you know what to believe? The varying perspectives and opposing statistics have led retailers large and small to rethink their strategies with varying degrees of success.

The takeaway is that there isn't a straightforward formula for "winning retail" in 2019; what works for one store (or website) won't necessarily translate for another. It all comes down to the brand, the customer, the city, and about a dozen other factors. In New York in particular, the brick-and-mortar landscape is pretty extreme: You have your global luxury brands and high-street chains occupying massive spaces on Broadway and Fifth Avenue, then the small, transient pop-ups by small or digital-first brands that can't abide the overhead of a "real" store. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, most notably Aimé Leon Dore, the five-year-old New York menswear label that just opened a spacious shop-slash-cafe on Mulberry Street. Despite being something of a cult brand for menswear editors and in-the-know guys around the world, ALD was a mystery to this frequent Nolita shopper-and to most of my Vogue colleagues, too.

Aimé Leon Dore doesn't really "do" womenswear, for starters, nor has it entertained the idea of joining the Fashion Week calendar. You won't find the brand's founder, Teddy Santis, at swanky fashion parties. For this article, he preferred not to do a "real interview" and asked not to be quoted. I was aware of this request before I met him at the store, but I figured I'd be able to change his mind. In my six years as a writer, I couldn't remember someone not wanting their name in print. But Santis was only half joking when he said that it seems like most designers just want to be famous these days. He believes some of the best brands are the ones that the designers or founders rarely speak at all. Their faces aren't all over Instagram; they aren't releasing a new collaboration every week; and they rarely, if ever, go on the record to talk about their brand. Santis isn't trying to align himself with the Rei Kawakubos and Martin Margielas of the world, he just understands the power of anonymity.

That said, his store on Mulberry Street is impossible to miss-especially compared to his first one, which was a much smaller, grungier space on Mott Street (right next door to Warm) with a discreet sign and a pair of Nikes dangling from the fire escape. When the temperatures crept above 50 degrees, the door and windows on Mott Street were usually open, so you could hear whatever record was spinning and catch a glimpse of the stylish, unaffected guys shopping inside. And yet, in spite of (or perhaps because of) its lack of pretension and insider-y vibe, the brand racked up top-tier stockists including Mr. Porter, Ssense, and Kith, and now enjoys a cult following around the world, particularly in Japan. Santis's team is now 40 people strong.

All of that feels a lot more evident in the new flagship. The pristine white-painted exterior is a bright spot on a crowded block, with elegant topiaries and planters nestled in front of the shop windows with scalloped awnings. It isn't what you imagine for a "streetwear brand," which is the real draw of Aimé Leon Dore. (The name is an amalgamation of the French word for love, Santis's father's name, Leon, and his own full name, Theodore.) Inside, there's a massive rug with two leather couches, where a few customers were hanging out (we visited the store while it was open and most of the guys seemed oblivious to Santis). There are herringbone wood floors, French-inspired crown molding on the walls, marble display tables, custom brass rails. In a word, it's gorgeous.

On those rails are the latest no-brainer, easy-to-wear ALD goods: color-blocked rugby shirts, nylon windbreakers, plain T-shirts, pique polos, oxfords with floral embroidered "A" logos, and a handful of collaborations, like colorful New Balance 997s and a few New Era Yankees caps. The mash-up is a little preppy, a little retro, a little sporty, and never overworked. (It's also worth mentioning that everyone who works there is exceedingly nice.) You could say it's a softer, less status-driven kind of streetwear. It's arguably a lot more timeless than the trendy stuff that seems made for the secondhand market. Santis couldn't really put his finger on his team's design process or where they find inspiration, but said he likes to imagine a mood and a feeling. You're hanging out with your friends in Greece, you're on the beach, it's 80 degrees, you're eating fresh seafood, what are you wearing?

Greece is a common touchstone for Santis: His family is Greek, and prior to launching ALD, he spent most of his life working in their Greek diner on the Upper East Side. That's where the second part of his Nolita shop comes into play: the narrow café on the side stocked with Greek treats, tea, and honey, plus a marble bar where you can order traditional Greek coffees. He said this was the easy part, because he knows cafés and restaurants so well.

After our visit, he got me one of their signature Greek freddo espressos, a layered iced-coffee drink that required multiple steps and, refreshingly, a lot more patience than your usual grab-and-go coffee shop. First, you whip up the cold foam, then brew the hot espresso, add a bit of sugar when it's still hot-this is crucial!-then you pour the espresso over ice and stir quickly to cool it off. Finally, you add the foamy cream on top. Santis ordered himself a Greek iced tea that took nearly as long to steep, but I wasn't in a rush. Neither is he. Despite his seemingly swift success, he's taking things slow-really slow. He joked that he's fine with not being a billion-dollar brand right now, saying he'd rather that Aimé Leon Dore still exists in another 10 or 20 years. That's probably hard to imagine for most designers, particularly the ones attempting to keep up with fashion's breakneck pace. But is Aimé Leon Dore even "fashion"? Not really. Santis is making his own rules-one store, freddo espresso, and off-the-record interview at a time.

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How Aimé Leon Dore Became the Coolest Store in Nolita

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Founder Teddy Santis gave Vogue an in-depth (but off-the-record!) tour of Aimé Leon Dore's gorgeous new store in Nolita.

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Aimé Leon Dore's new store in London's Soho has a distinguished presence. Its exterior is marked with a pine green scalloped awning, the brand name positioned at the top in small gold print. Two mannequins bearing Teddy Santis's menswear designs are positioned in the front window, along with a curated collection of objects like a basketball and an urn. Behind that? Well, that's unknown. Just like at the brand's Nolita store, the shop mysteriously masks its inside offerings from the street with a pair of velvet curtains hung behind the windows and the door.

But inside, a rich, moody world awaits.

The space, designed by Sarita Posada Interiors in collaboration with West Architecture, features layered antique Persian rugs and floors of swirling Cipollino marble. Yellow boucle chairs sit in front of walnut paneling. Achille Castiglioni's "Light Ball" lamps, an iconic piece of mid-century design, hang from the ceilings.

Posada says she and Santis found inspiration in heritage menswear shops, as well as the work of Austrian architect Adolf Loos (a pioneer of Vienna modernism). The dark walnut wood finishes are a nod to classic Saville Row tailor shops, while the velvet wall paneling and leather banquettes are reminiscent of London's private clubs. The ornate rugs and green accents are an homage to the renowned men's outfitter, Knize, which was designed by Loos in 1921. Most of the decorative objects are sourced from local London dealers.

"It was important to us to reference both traditional settings such as Loos's Knize," says Posada, "but balance it with a number of additional found mid-century pieces consistent with the brand's voice."

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Aimé Leon Dore's New London Store Is All Warmth and Wood Paneling

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Where nineties New York meets old school London-take an exclusive look inside the Aimé Leon Dore store in Soho.

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Aime Leon Dore has a diverse organizational structure, especially considering they have around 200 employees but only two physical store locations. This tall structure typically means there are multiple levels of management, which can be beneficial for clear oversight and specialization. With a limited number of stores, they likely have a significant number of roles focused on areas like marketing, design, logistics, and customer service, in addition to store staff and baristas for their in-store café, Café Leon Dore.

This setup allows for specialized teams to focus on different aspects of the business, from creative development to operations. However, maintaining effective communication and collaboration across various levels can be a challenge in a tall organization, especially as they scale. Overall, Aime Leon Dore is strategically positioned to blend retail with a unique café experience, enhancing their brand identity and customer engagement despite having only two physical locations.

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ADA Site Compliance Website Accessibility Statement

Aimé Leon Dore strives to maintain a compliant website and is committed to providing an online environment that is accessible to all visitors in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 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.

We recognize that accessibility and usability are not always possible in every area of the website or for those using assistive technology and devices. Therefore, Aimé Leon Dore has conducted, and conducts ongoing accessibility reviews of its website and has remediated and continues to remediate any issues identified during such reviews.

Please be aware that our efforts are ongoing as we incorporate the relevant improvements to meet the above-referenced laws, regulations and guidelines.

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.

If you have found an inaccessible area on the site, please be sure to specify the Web page and provide us with any other information you may think will help us locate the area. We will make all reasonable efforts to make that page accessible. Otherwise, if a page cannot be made accessible we will work to make a text version available. If you have a need for a specific electronic format, please contact us here: https://www.aimeleondore.com/pages/contact. Please provide the format that you require the content to be in, the web page address of the material, and your contact information. We welcome your questions about this accessibility statement and comments on how to improve the website's accessibility.

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Created in 2014, Aimé Leon Dore is a fashion and lifestyle brand based out of New York City.

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Strengths: Aime Leon Dore is reputable brand, clean image and the owner is not controversial in any way shape or form. Clothes are of extremely good quality.

Weaknesses: Aime Leon Dore only has two stores, the original store located in Queens, New York. The second store is located in London, United Kingdom.

Opportunities: Aime Leon Dore could open more stores to expand their market and public image. Aime Leon Dore could also collab with other brands as this would give the company an opportunity to create more great garments.

Threats: Aime Leon Dore's only threats are the pressure of the world to be sustainable and the competition of other growing brands.

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Political: As the company is private, anything regarding political issues is not really available anywhere online.

Economic: Aime Leon Dore has high product prices but for the quality of the garments and reputation of the brand, the prices are somewhat expected.

Social: Aime Leon Dore mainly caters to the male fashion industry and there is no women's clothing to the brand as of yet or even mention of any new lines for women that may or may not come in the future.

Technological: Aime Leon Dore is very active on social media, they do multiple ad campaigns for their collections and they have an online website for their store in which you can purchase their products.

Legal: Estimated to be a multi-million dollar clothing brand, Aime Leon Dore is an ethical company. A lot of their garments are made in the US in compliance with regulations. The brand emphasises quality and craftsmanship, and having some items made domestically aligns with its focus on authenticity and supporting local manufacturing. However, they also source materials and production from various locations globally, balancing quality with design.

Environmental: Aime Leon Dore garments are sustainable and are not mass produced. Their clothing is made from organic and recycled fabrics.

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How well does the company handle each P.E.S.T.L.E Element?

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How well does the company handle each P.E.S.T.L.E Element?

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Aime Leon Dore, have done extremely well in rising to the top of the murky fashion world which has dogged by bad practices, child labour, fast fashion, damaging environmental processes and ridiculous marketing campaigns. The brand has a squeaky clean image after nearly 10 years in business and there are nothing but positive comments about the brand online. This is why Aime Leon Dore is one of my favourite brands out there.

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Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance Are in This for the Long Haul

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A deep dive into the history of ALD-NB sneakers.