Meet the maker – LEBL Studios
LEBL Studios is an Amsterdam based denim workshop dedicated to delivering custom-made jeans. Leon Blok, the founder of LEBL, established the brand right after finishing his study at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. When we spoke with Leon he made LEBL’s mission very clear; ‘creating your new favorite pair of jeans that you might never want to take off again’.
Designer, Tailor, Maker
Everything behind the scenes at LEBL Studios is done by Leon himself. The entire process, from drawing the pattern to cutting and sewing the jeans is, all done by just one man. Also, the complete vision and social media outings are formed by Leon.
During his study, Leon gained a lot of knowledge and affinity with both tailoring and designing. During his study he was already focusing on denim, while most of his classmates focused on designing high-end fashion. Next to his study, Leon used to work at the design department of Levi’s Vintage Clothing and as a denim repair specialist/tailor at Denham the Jeanmaker. At Denham he was able to feel, repair, and tailor the heaviest worn-in pairs of jeans. Leon’s vision on denim, his study, and work experience are now the foundation of LEBL, a high-quality denim studio in Amsterdam.
The Concept
The concept of LEBL Studios is simple; creating your new favorite pair of jeans by listening to your wishes and needs. According to Leon, a pair of jeans is an extension of your personality and for this reason he listens to his client’s needs instead of following the common trends. Trends are futile and fade over time, however, every person can decide better than anyone else how he/she want to express him/herself.
While we were speaking about the concept of LEBL, Leon said that; ‘jeans become more valuable every time you put them on. Think about it, a jeans is just a pair of jeans until the moment it starts to fade. The fades tell the story of the wearer’s life, interests, and adventures.’ To make a pair of jeans even more personal, Leon wants to know a person before he starts drawing the pattern. That’s the reason why he sits down with every client until he knows exactly who he is dealing with. When Leon understands the wishes and needs of his client he moves to his drawing board and starts transforming the conversation into a design.
Creating just one pair of LEBL jeans takes approximately 20 hours. The whole process from sitting down with the client, to finishing the jeans is extremely time-consuming. Every line he draws, every piece he cuts, and every single stitch he sews is done with so much attention to detail and with the utmost precision. Considering this process, we would like to make the comparison between a LEBL jeans and a tailor-made suit. The process, as well as the perfectly fitting garments, are why we make this comparison.
The Fabrics
When it comes to selecting the fabric, Leon is extremely picky and he only wants to work with the finest denim available. The fabric at LEBL Studios comes from suppliers situated in America and Japan, and all of them have a long history with manufacturing high-quality denim. Ranging from a big American mill like Cone Denim to a smaller Japanese mill like Nihon Menpu, they all have to bring something special to the cutting table. By offering such a large variety of selvedge fabrics, varying in weight, color, texture and origin, LEBL’s clients have plenty of options to choose from.
The Amsterdam based denim workshop LEBL, truly brought something new to the overcrowded denim market. Between the competitive major and leading denim brands, Leon found a way to distinguish himself with a completely bespoke pair of jeans. Everything, from fit and construction to the color of the threads, is up to the client’s wishes. During the whole process, Leon will always go the extra mile and will use all of his knowledge, experience, and creativity to create the perfect pair of jeans for every client. Ready to have your new favorite jeans tailored? Head over to LEBL’s web store to make an appointment.
Share
Tweet
