Aimé Leon Dore
United States
Aimé Leon Dore is a New York fashion and lifestyle brand founded by Teddy Santis in 2014. It mixes streetwear, preppy tailoring and references to Queens and Greece, and has become known for its New Balance collaborations and its Nolita store and café. The company is privately held.
| Founded | March 2014, New York City |
|---|---|
| Founder | Teddy Santis |
| Ownership | Privately held |
| Headquarters | Queens, New York City, United States |
| Flagship | Mulberry Street, Nolita, with Café Leon Dore |
| Website | aimeleondore.com |
What is Aimé Leon Dore?
Aimé Leon Dore, often shortened to ALD, describes itself as a fashion and lifestyle brand based in New York City. Its collections cover apparel, footwear, headwear, jewellery, bags and leather goods, with a design language that blends hip hop, basketball, classic menswear and the founder's upbringing between Queens and Greece.
History
Designer Teddy Santis launched the brand in March 2014. It opened its first retail space on Mott Street in Nolita in 2016 and moved in 2019 to a larger flagship on Mulberry Street, which also houses Café Leon Dore. Early collaborations with Puma (2015) and Kith (2017) helped to build its profile among sneaker and streetwear audiences.
Products and positioning
ALD sits in the premium segment and is positioned closer to elevated casualwear than to graphic-led streetwear. Collaborations are an important part of the brand story:
- New Balance 997, 990v2, 990v5 and 827 releases in 2019 and 2020
- A restored Porsche 964 (2020)
- Woolrich, Timberland, Paraboot, Drake's, Rimowa and The North Face
- A Technohull powerboat and capsule collection (2023)
Business model and distribution
The brand sells mainly through its own stores and website, organising product into seasonal drops. The flagship with an integrated café reflects its approach of building a lifestyle world around the clothing. A women's collection and a uniform line are also offered on its website, and the online shop ranges from suiting and knitwear to jewellery, bags and leather goods, alongside a selection of third-party products under the name Curated Selects.
Why it matters
Aimé Leon Dore is widely seen as a leading example of the shift in menswear from logo streetwear to a more polished, heritage-inflected style. Its close relationship with New Balance also illustrates how independent brands can shape the image of a large sportswear company through carefully curated collaborations.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Aimé Leon Dore?
Aimé Leon Dore was founded in 2014 by designer Teddy Santis in New York. His upbringing between Queens and Greece is a recurring influence on the brand's collections.
Where is the Aimé Leon Dore store?
The flagship is on Mulberry Street in Nolita, Manhattan, and includes Café Leon Dore. The brand moved there in 2019 from its first space on Mott Street.