Humberto Leon

Humberto Leon (born June 7, 1975) is an American fashion designer, retailer and creative director, working in partnership with Carol Lim.[1][2]

Humberto Leon
Born (1975-06-07) June 7, 1975
NationalityAmerican
LabelOpening Ceremony
PartnerPatrick Wilson
Children2

Leon and Lim founded the fashion retailer Opening Ceremony in 2002 in Lower Manhattan.[3][4] Further stores followed in New York City, Los Angeles, and Tokyo.[5] An Opening Ceremony store opened in 2012 in London, coinciding with the Olympics.[6][7]

In 2011, Lim and Leon were announced as creative directors of the French high fashion brand Kenzo, which was founded in 1970 and is part of the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate until their departure in July 2019.[8]

Early life

Born to a Peruvian father and Chinese seamstress mother, Leon grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles as the youngest in a tight-knit family.[9]

Early career

After completing graduation, Leon worked in the corporate sector for a decade, serving as design director at American clothing retailer Gap. Consequently, he worked at Burberry, during the start of its renaissance under the administration of Rose Marie Bravo.[10]

Career

In early 2001, at age 25, Lim and Leon went on a two-week trip to Hong Kong. There, they were inspired to open a store in the United States upon their return. Its concept was to bring brands such as Havaianas and Topshop to the United States and to feature emerging American fashion brands such as Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, and Rodarte. After considering various names (including Airport and Terminal), the two founders finally settled upon Opening Ceremony.[11][12] Leon and Lim went to the New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY for assistance in refining their business plan and obtaining a business loan, and each contributed $10,000 of their own money towards Opening Ceremony.[13]

In July 2011, Kenzo parent company LVMH announced the appointment of Humberto Leon as co-co-creative director of the brand.[14] Leon and Lim's debut collection was in 2012.[15] The first collection was inspired by upstate New York and the painter Ellsworth Kelly.[16] Lim and Leon are credited with reinventing the label—which had been in steady decline since Kenzo Takada's departure in 1999—by injecting a youthful exuberance and sensibility into its clothing. Their modern approach to design and communications has paved the way for the brand's revival in recent years.[17]

Leon was a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and an advisor to Parsons School of Design.

Leon and Lim departed from their role at Kenzo in June 2019 to focus on Opening Ceremony .[18]

See also

References
  1. ""Kenzo Is From Everywhere, And For Everyone": Creative Director Felipe Oliveira Baptista On The Future Of The Legendary Brand". British Vogue. September 6, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  2. Rao, As told to: Priya (May 27, 2015). "Ask Humberto & Carol Anything". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  3. Crowley, Chris (February 28, 2020). "Opening Ceremony's Humberto Leon Is a Ranch Kind of Guy". Grub Street. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  4. Ang, Raymond (December 24, 2020). "From Jon Hamm to Candice Bergen, What 18 Notables Watched and Read During the Pandemic". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  5. "Humberto Leon and Carol Lim". Interview Magazine. April 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  6. "Opening Ceremony". Time Out London. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  7. "Opening Ceremony Opening London Store". www.huhmagazine.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  8. Elliott, Hannah. "Opening Ceremony Duo To Kenzo". Forbes. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  9. "Downtown for Sale". NYMag.com. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  10. "Carol Lim & Humberto Leon | #BoF500 | The Business of Fashion". The Business of Fashion. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  11. "Fashion's Coolest Duo Humberto Leon and Carol Lim Don't Think They're Very Cool at All, Actually".
  12. "The Success of Opening Ceremony's Carol Lim and Humberto Leon". ELLE. August 18, 2010. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  13. Rubin, Julia (March 15, 2013). "Opening Ceremony's Founders On How They Built A Fashion Empire". Teen Vogue. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  14. Elliott, Hannah. "Opening Ceremony Duo To Kenzo". Forbes. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  15. Mistry, Meenal (October 2011). "Kenzo Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show – Vogue". Vogue. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  16. "Humberto Leon and Carol Lim". Interview Magazine. April 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  17. "#BoFLive | Carol and Humberto Say 'Everything Came From a Personal Point of View'". The Business of Fashion. February 11, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  18. "EXCLUSIVE: Kenzo Parts Ways with Creative Directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim". June 14, 2019.
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