Aimé Leon Dore

Teddy Santis grew up in Queens, the son of Greek immigrants, and launched Aimé Leon Dore there in March 2014. The name is a family project. Leon was his father's nickname, and Dore comes from Theodore, his own first name. Early varsity jackets that pointed back to the New York Mets sold out fast, and a 2015 project with Puma reworked the State sneaker. The first shop opened on Mott Street in Nolita in 2016, with the windows covered so nobody could see in from the sidewalk. In February 2019 the label moved one block over to 214 Mulberry Street, a flagship dressed like a Parisian apartment with Café Leon Dore inside, a Greek-inspired counter that gives people a reason to come by when nothing is dropping. The New Balance partnership began that April with the 997, revived the 827 and brought back the 550, a 1989 basketball shoe the company barely remembered. In April 2021 New Balance made Santis creative director of its MADE in USA line. ALD restored a 1990 Porsche 964 with Porsche's official backing, built a powerboat with the Greek maker Technohull, and took a minority investment from LVMH Luxury Ventures in January 2022. The first shop hid behind a curtain.