Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) is a New York City menswear brand founded in 2014 by Teddy Santis, a Queens native of Greek heritage. One of the most influential American menswear brands of the past decade, ALD built its identity from the intersection of New York basketball culture, 1990s prep and Ivy League references, Italian tailoring, and a deeply considered visual identity that made its SoHo flagship — with its espresso bar and basketball hoop — a cultural destination.
Key Facts
- Founded: 2014
- Founder/Creative Director: Teddy Santis
- Headquarters: New York City (SoHo, 7 Prince Street), USA
- Industry: Menswear, Streetwear, Lifestyle
History
Santis grew up in Flushing, Queens, absorbing the visual culture of 1990s New York — basketball, hip-hop, Italian-American neighbourhood style, and a prep-to-street aesthetic. He launched ALD while working other jobs, beginning with T-shirts and building into a full collection. The brand gained major global visibility when New Balance appointed Santis creative director of New Balance Made in USA in 2021, a partnership that produced multiple sought-after sneaker collaborations. The SoHo store opened in 2019 and became a cultural touchpoint. Collaborations have included Porsche, Drake’s, Woolrich, Clarks, Timberland, and PUMA. ALD drops sell out rapidly.
Aesthetic
ALD’s visual language is richly layered: archive New York sports photography, Italian tailoring cut for comfort, classic prep shapes recoloured, workwear energised by Queens culture, and tactile fabrics — heavy fleece, corduroy, cashmere, tweed — that reward close inspection. Santis describes the brand as representing the culture of Flushing: unpretentious, neighbourhood-rooted, and deeply versed in quality.
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