EARLY WARNING SIGNAL: Leonardo Aguirre : TEXT BY TRICKY MAUS

Leonardo Aguirre menswear : Photographed by Tony Duran :Fashion Director Douglas VanLaningham : Model Jordan Coulter

Leonardo Aguirre is a rising talent on the design scene, based out of Los Angeles. He specializes in highly structured yet deconstructed clothing, with lots of intricate tailoring. There's a continuing thread of tension throughout his season less collections. Pieces are added to the continuous dialog, each a small fractal component of his overall vision.

Leonardo is a native of Mexcio, born to an educated upper class family. His mother is professor of philosophy and his father a brain surgeon. Frequent trips to Europe in his childhood, coupled with an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic pursuits allowed him to develop his creative leanings. He started to show his creativity with clothing at the young age of 10 by making clothes for first his sister's roles in school plays, then expanding into making costumes for the entire school productions.

In 1998, he traveled to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of design, through an apprenticeship at Richard Tyler Couture, and also as a successful male model, working for companies such as Levi's and photographers such as Albert Watson. Throughout his time in Los Angeles, he has grown from creating one off pieces to a full fledge men's line, which has often been appropriated for women. Individuals such as,Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron Chase Crawford, Chris Helmsworth, Ryan Phillippe, Rosario Dawson, Salma Hayek have worn his pieces. His company is based here in Los Angeles, and his clothes are made in the USA.

As I feel there is a creative renaissance building here in Los Angeles, centered around the revitalized DTLA (Downtown LA) district, which Leonardo and his partner the photographer Josef Michel are leading figures of, here is a more in depth interview with the designer. Consider this an introduction to a continuing series about this new wave cresting on the West Coast......

It would seem that you grew up in an intellectual household. Did your parents encourage your artistic talents from the beginning? What kind of impression did your family's frequent trips to Europe give you? A lot of Latin American countries have a strange dynamic with Europe and with Spain due to the colonialism, conversion by the Catholic Church, and the domination of the indigenous peoples and the native culture. Does the New World Latin culture manifest itself in your work?

Yes, both my parents have always been extremely supportive, but what I cherish most are the cross country selling trips throughout Mexico with my Grandmother. She sold shoes for a living to all of my mother’s rich friends. Grandma trusted my taste in shoes as well as clothes, even though I was so young. She would say to me “I know your secret and your secret is safe with me. When you are ready we will tell the world”

My parents have always loved the arts such as Opera, Architecture, Painting and Sculpture just to name a few. Our trips to Europe fulfilled me in ways that to this day I still cherish. My father’s love for Opera was instilled in me at a very young age. I remember Placido Domingo after one of his performances picking me up off the ground and kissing me on the cheek. I was 7 years old and knew then he was a great man. This is just one example of how I was immersed and exposed to the Arts by my family.

My parents made sure that we appreciated not only Mexican Culture but other cultures as well, never giving more importance to one or the other, hence the constant travels each year. Although I lived in Mexico until I was 18, I also feel as if I lived in all these other wonderful countries that we visited as well. The memories of these visits inspire so much in me and equally in my designs.

In 1998 you began in Los Angeles an apprenticeship with Richard Tyler, an Australian based here that was recognized for his razor sharp tailoring and construction. Would you say this was your finishing school, where you honed your skills in the technical aspects of your craft? I've noticed that tailoring and intricate construction (and conversely deconstruction and complex seaming) is a core aspect in your clothing. It's a bit reminiscent of McQueen's early bumster pants, the almost mathematical degree of exactness in your seams and stitching.
Would you say that this manifestation is a result of your time with Tyler Studio? Was this real world experience better than say going to school for a design degree?

When I was apprenticing with Richard Tyler, I was a fly on the wall, a kid in a candy store. I learned to appreciate the beauty and artistry of how clothes are constructed. Some of the gifts given to me from this time are that I learned how to sew, I discovered the art of pattern making, I learned to appreciate quality over quantity. I fell in love with my craft at Richard Tyler.

For you to mention McQueen’s bumster pants, OMG, that’s the real deal! The exactness and technicality of the pattern making was so unique and the fit! The fit was up your ass…!! My time at Richard Tyler is the most gratifying learning experience to date.

You also enjoyed a successful modeling career in Los Angeles, working for top photographers and for noted advertising clients. Did this give you any insight into the business fashion, being in front of the camera, all the while learning about technique in design.

I really enjoyed that time in my life. Everyone I worked with was so patient and generous. When I was modeling I hardly spoke English but I felt right at home. It was a joyous learning experience. How to be kind and respectful is what I took from those experiences, as they were given to me.

What year did you decide to launch your men's wear company? What was the core inspiration to start the collection? Did it start off with just a few pieces and then morphed into this continued "season less" manifestation?

It was in back in 2010. I was at the local hardware store and I came across this beautifully linen wrapped wire. In an epiphany I thought “WIRE RIMMED POCKETS”. I went back to the shop, bought the linen and from my first men’s wire rimmed pocket pant was sewn up. From this starting point, a creative avalanche was started. I just kept going adding pieces and more pieces never keeping track of time…To this day I work in this continual stream of consciousness, creating when inspiration hits me. New pieces are added every day as well as taken out. My clothing is an ever evolving entity, seasons need not apply. Thus the line is presented as such… It’s a labor of love more than anything. It can be defined by the industry’s constrictions of “ Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter” or any of the other minor collections so many designers are forced to produce, especially at the conglomerate owned houses, i.e. “ Resort, Pre-Fall, etc.”

You've stated that there parallels in your creativity with others which are inspirational - the "genius" of Kansai Yamamoto, the individuality of Pierre Cardin and the "modern technicality in pattern making" of Aitor Thorp.
Could you elaborate on how you identify with each of these masters? I'd also like to delve deeper into your creative process - beyond what you've said that you take inspiration in the moment, the present, the "now" - especially in the "youth" movement," risk taking", and "untamed violence our world faces". These are direct quotes from you, so please share more of how these elements affect you and how you process it in your clothing.

Kansai Yamamoto is seen as a traditionalist by many and yes he is in many ways but I see the sensuality in his creations and I see the warped view of the future that he instills in his design. To me he is the Alejandro Jodorowski of fashion design.

Pierre Cardin had no need for apologies. He did what he did…“Fuck You” if you didn’t get it. I have that much in common with him, I do what I do out of love, and I’m not constrained by anyone’s expectations, preconceptions or demands.

Aitor is a master of modern pattern making. So many people have referred to him as a modern architect in fashion design, redefining how clothes are constructed. Aitor has elevated pattern making into an art form. My humble appreciation of his genius drives me to experiment to find new ways on how to cut, detail and construct my pieces. I am challenged every day by his genius.

It’s challenging to wake up every morning as you don’t know what your mind is going to throw at you that day. Sometimes it’s happy…sometimes it’s fucked up…sometimes it’s an Aleve kind of day…sometimes it’s a 500mg Vicodin kind of day. You can say “screw it”, “bring it on” or you can take neither and choose opposite reactions. You decide what filters how your creativity will go through on any given day….you might decide to medicate your creativity today or you might want to go RAW… Either way it’s a risk and creativity wins….. The now, the moment, the present..

It’s all about “Youth” that fearless in every possible way. The fire that shields them, the beauty that feeds them…I want to feel that every day. I want my clothes to give that gift, to bring that fire, whether it’s a new inspiration/road, or to reignite that fire. Youth is a constant source of change….Kids are fighting governments all over the world for what they believe in…

I look at the pictures in the news, on blogs, during my “inter web” dives, and it’s all about the “Fire” in their eyes. And so much of what I notice is the clothing worn, it’s such a reflection of the power of youth – the need to challenge and change. To me it’s “Instant Gratification” ….

There is always a strong underlying feeling of dark sexuality, marginal groups and culture, an almost post punk subversive perversion in the context of your clothing, and the continued collaboration with your partner, the photographer Josef Michel. The images you've provided for this profile, portraits of you in your clothing by Josef, they make me think of Gay-core artists such as Slava Mogutin, Bruce La Bruce and even Terence Koh - so raw, blunt and honest. There’s so much said, so simply.

Clothes are an extension of oneself, they go with you, they go through what you experience…they are witness to your dark side. If clothes could talk, what would they say about your escapades? Pervert, drug addict, sex addicted down low motherfucker. Who knows? Let’s think about the experiences one has while wearing your favorite pair of jeans.

Josef is very instrumental in bringing these points across in the visuals for the collection. He is unafraid, as I strive to be, and we push each other to new territories.

Slava, Bruce, Terence……The message? Be afraid, be very afraid because you can’t hide. They will make your guilty pleasures come alive, for all to see…

Lastly, I'd like to ask your opinion about basing your company in Los Angeles, manufacturing in Los Angeles, and collaborating with Josef and another person of influence, the stylist/creative director/artist Franc Fernandez. I feel that this Trifecta is a part of the renaissance that is happening in Los Angeles now, centered around the creativity in DTLA (Downtown L.A.) which is deservedly on the edge of major recognition.

Can you share some of your future collaborations together? Are you an Angeleno through and through, a Mexican American creative pushing to redefine what Los Angeles is - an actual creative center beyond just the movie and celebrity machine that most people in the fashion industry equate with our city? I would venture to say that you are one of the first Mexican / American designers that is on the fast track for recognition within the industry on an international level.

Our shop is located in the heart of Skid Row, also within the Produce District of Los Angeles. The rent is cheap and we LOVE it here… I sometimes sit on my doorstep and talk to the homeless, who as far as I’m concerned have a “Sick Ass” and “PURE” sense of style.

I make my own patterns, cut and sew all of my samples…. Production is sewn by my very skilled and crafted Chinese seamstresses, all of whom worked previously at Richard Tyler. I value and treasure them. Proudly, my company is “MADE IN THE U.S.A” and if because of this I’m a part of the DTLA “Renaissance” then be it.

I have to agree that something is brewing in Los Angeles…Why else would Hedi Slimane make L.A. his new home? All this underground talent is rising to the surface and it’s gonna be sick !!!!!

I have great respect for Josef Michel, Franc Fernandez, Olima, Bo Metz, and all of whom are making Los Angeles a creative force….

I love Los Angeles and if Los Angeles thinks I am worthy of recognition I would be humbled. Thank you for your kind words …

Leonardo Aguirre : Photographed by Josef Michel for The Imagist