In Conversation with
LEBLANC
STUDIOS


We had an amazing conversation with Yamil and Angelo,
LEBLANCSTUDIOS’ creative directors, where we spoke about their
beginnings in fashion, their creative process, and
the brand’s different concepts.




LEBLANCSTUDIOS


In 2014, two young creatives got together to form what has become perhaps the most important and exciting fashion studio in the contemporary Dominican fashion scene; LEBLANCSTUDIOS. I still remember when LEBLANC first started out. Their designs and collections were not only conceptual and somewhat surrealistic, but they were a breath of fresh air for Dominican fashion. They played with silhouette, with materials and patterns. LEBLANC was not afraid of leaving their comfort zone, and that was what made them so special.

In the next few years, the fashion studio became a household name in the Dominican Republic. Nowdays, pieces like their instantly recognizable Duck Shirt have become staples of the Dominican fashion scene. Now, LEBLANCSTUDIOS is looking to expand their horizons and reach a wider, worldwide audience; something we’re sure they’ll have under their list of accomplishments in no-time. 

With LEBLANCSTUDIOS, Yamil Arbaje and Angelo Beato managed to prove that with talent, hard work, creativity and dedication, anything is possible. The two young creatives challenged the expectations of what fashion could and couldn’t be, and emerged victorious by challenging, and changing the status-quo of Dominican fashion. Here at The Pyramid, we expect big things from the fashion label, and we’re sure that they’ll keep impressing us, just like they always have since their beginnings. 

We had a chance to talk to both Angelo and Yamil about the brand’s conception, their inspirations, their future goals and how they have managed to steadily grow the brand while not losing sight of their initial idea. This is what they said:

First off, I’d like to talk a little bit about the conception of LEBLANCSTUDIOS. When did your interest in fashion start? How did you guys meet and how did you decide to start a brand together? Which concepts inspired you to create LEBLANCSTUDIOS under the aesthetic that you did?

We met through a phone call in 2014. Our interest for the fashion medium has always been present, and we connected right away with the kind of fashion we are making nowadays. LEBLANCSTUDIOS was born out of a need to question the society around the globe in different contexts.

“LEBLANCSTUDIOS was born out of a need to question the society around the globe in different contexts.”

When you started LEBLANCSTUDIOS, you were both pretty young. To me, it’s really impressive that two kids were able to develop their idea into a successful brand. Now that you’re both older and more in tune with how the fashion industry works, is there any advice that you’d give your younger selves as you were starting the brand, or to other young creatives who are starting their own brands?

Always work with people that share the same values, consult yourselves with outstanding people from different areas to create a more powerful and objective effect. Be disciplined with life.


Murder is my Business (2nd Edition) by LEBLANCSTUDIOS

To me, something really special about LEBLANCSTUDIOS is the fact that every collection draws inspiration from different concepts, but that all collections are connected by a common theme, which we could call the LEBLANCSTUDIOS mentality. This “mentality”, in my opinion, is one that challenges your audience to analyse the message behind your designs and your different collections, and to think critically about concepts that they otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to. When you are working on a collection, is there a particular message that you are trying to communicate through it? If so, does the message come before the collection, or is it a response to the collection itself?

Our relationship with the concept and clothing / clothing - consumer is symbiotic: the medium is the message, and the mediums for us are the clothes and its consumers. For example, the discourse comes full circle when you see people in the strikes with t-shirts of “ELPUEBLOCUESTIONA”, everything starts to make sense. Another example that happened before when someone was denied entrance at a night club wearing a t-shirt from PLASTIC PEOLE that criticizes “elite” dressing codes from those exact places.

“Our relationship with the concept and clothing / clothing - consumer is symbiotic: the medium is the message, and the mediums for us are the clothes and its consumers.“

I know that for your next collection you guys have been working with the goal to expand internationally. In terms of conceptualizing this next collection, how do you feel that your creative process has been affected by the thought of appealing to an international audience? Has your process remained the same or has it undergone certain changes in order to help reach audiences that don’t have the same cultural upbringing as your Dominican consumers?

Our creative process is always evolving, and nowadays it has become more interesting because we have more control over what we do. Our clothes and topics do not depend on a particular culture, it is about global facts.


Oprobio Nacional Jacket
by LEBLANCSTUDIOS

LEBLANCSTUDIOS has always been intertwined with the art world. From your installations to your runway shows, every aspect of the brand seems to be tied to many artistic mediums. In this respect, how would you describe the brand’s connections to the overall art world, be it in inspiration or in any other way? Also, how would you describe your own connections to art as independent creatives?

The connection between other artistic mediums with our clothes discourse is that it helps us to reinforce the communication of the concept by looking at it from a different context. For example one of our main collections “WHITE SHIRT” has an iconic invitation, which is a performance of delivering anonymous bribes with folded manila envelopes that says “REMAIN SILENT”. The invited people were nervous by receiving these communications but right after they realized what it was, their response was positive as they followed the message.

“The connection between other artistic mediums with our clothes discourse is that it helps us to reinforce the communication of the concept by looking at it from a different context.”

Over the years, LEBLANCSTUDIOS has steadily continued to grow and expand, gaining an audience that has cemented it as the most prominent new brands in the DR. As the brand continues to grow, are there any projects outside of fashion that you are interested in pursuing under the LEBLANCSTUDIOS umbrella?

Yes, there are cultural projects that we are developing under LEBLANCSTUDIOS, and we are excited to present them in the near future.


Murder is my Business (2nd Edition) by LEBLANCSTUDIOS

For the last two years, I know Yamil has been living in New York while Angelo has been living in Santo Domingo. As the creative responsibilities of the brand are divided between the two of you, how would you say that your creative and collaborative process has been affected, be it positively or negatively, by the distance and not being able to meet up physically?

It has impacted us positively, first because we have two different perspectives now that impact every outcome. Now it’s not about Santo Domingo, it’s about understanding a city that has people from all over the world. Our creative tasks are now more coordinated than ever as we have always worked online. The fact that we are not physically together forces us to be very organized, and on track to follow our overall vision.

“Now it’s not about Santo Domingo, it’s about understanding a city that has people from all over the world.“

“The fact that we are not physically together forces us to be very organized, and on track to follow our overall vision.”


White Shirt Ad Campaign ‘17
by LEBLANCSTUDIOS

When we spoke prior to this interview, you guys mentioned that you’ve been working on developing pieces that have multiple functionalities. In a world like today, where many people consume just for the sake of consuming, this idea of a multi-functional piece can change the way people perceive the fashion industry as a whole. With this in mind, how do you see and understand a multi-functional piece of clothing? 

Since the conception of postmodern fashion, there has been a tendency towards making luxury and functionality come together. We see multiple functionalities as another approach to sustainability, and current designs must reflect the needs of today’s consumer that are hyperconnected. Hyper-connectivity has changed our perception of time. “It’s not an illusion. TIME IS MOVING FASTER.” (Coupland, D. Slogans for the 21st Century. 2011-2014)

“We see multiple functionalities as another approach to sustainability, and current designs must reflect the needs of today’s consumer that are hyperconnected.“



Slogans for the 21st Century - Douglas Coupland


Finally, is there any artist, from any medium, that you feel everyone should know? If so, who would that be and why?

Michelangelo Caravaggio, he subverted the classic painting style and incorporates pictorial concepts such as socio-political and religious truths, which at the time were taboos.


We’d like to give a special thanks to the folks over at
LEBLANCSTUDIOS for taking the time to talk to us and
explain what makes their project work. For more on
LEBLANCSTUDIOS be sure to follow their
Instagram at @leblancstudios and visit their website
to check out any new, upcoming collections!