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Humberto Leon

Humberto Leon (born June 7, 1975) is an American fashion designer and retailer who works with Carol Lim.[1][2] He is the creative director for the pop group Katseye.[3]

Leon and Lim founded the fashion retailer Opening Ceremony in 2002 in Lower Manhattan.[4][5] In 2011, they became creative directors of Kenzo, part of LVMH; they departed in July 2019.[6]

Early life and education

Leon was born in suburban Los Angeles to a Peruvian father and a Chinese mother who worked as a seamstress. He was the youngest in the family.[7] He attended UC Berkeley, where he met Carol Lim.[8]

Career

Early career

After college, Leon was a design director at Gap and worked at Burberry during Rose Marie Bravo's tenure.[9]

Opening Ceremony

In early 2001, Leon and Lim took a two-week trip to Hong Kong that inspired them to open a store in the United States.[10][11] The concept was to bring international brands like Havaianas and Topshop to the U.S. while featuring emerging American designers like Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, and Rodarte. After considering names like Airport and Terminal, they settled on Opening Ceremony. They worked with the New York State Small Business Development Center at SUNY on their business plan and loan, and each contributed $10,000.[12] The first store opened in New York; others followed in Los Angeles and Tokyo.[13] A London store opened in 2012 to coincide with the Olympics.[14][15]

Kenzo

In July 2011, LVMH appointed Leon and Lim as co-creative directors of Kenzo.[16] Their debut collection, shown in 2012, was inspired by upstate New York and the painter Ellsworth Kelly.[17][18] The label had been in decline since Kenzo Takada's departure in 1999; Leon and Lim are credited with reviving it.[19] They departed in June 2019 to focus on Opening Ceremony.[20]

Other roles

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

Personal life

Leon has twin daughters.[21]

See also

  • Chinese people in New York City
  • LGBT culture in New York City
  • List of LGBT people from New York City
  • NYC Pride March

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 2021-03-08^
  2. As told to: Priya Rao. Ask Humberto & Carol Anything Harper's BAZAAR, 2015-05-27, retrieved 2021-03-08^
  3. Julissa James. Behind the scenes with K-pop group Katseye and their L.A. fashion fairy godfather Humberto Leon Los Angeles Times, August 21, 2024, retrieved 18 January 2025^
  4. Chris Crowley. Opening Ceremony's Humberto Leon Is a Ranch Kind of Guy Grub Street, 2020-02-28, retrieved 2021-03-08^
  5. Raymond Ang. From Jon Hamm to Candice Bergen, What 18 Notables Watched and Read During the Pandemic Wall Street Journal, 2020-12-24, retrieved 2021-03-08^
  6. Hannah Elliott. Opening Ceremony Duo To Kenzo Forbes, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  7. Downtown for Sale NYMag.com, September 22, 2010, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  8. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim Interview Magazine, April 23, 2012, retrieved 2025-03-14^
  9. Carol Lim & Humberto Leon The Business of Fashion, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  10. Fashion's Coolest Duo Humberto Leon and Carol Lim Don't Think They're Very Cool at All, Actually April 10, 2014, retrieved 2025-03-14^
  11. The Success of Opening Ceremony's Carol Lim and Humberto Leon ELLE, August 18, 2010, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  12. Julia Rubin. Opening Ceremony's Founders on How They Built a Fashion Empire Teen Vogue, March 15, 2013, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  13. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim Interview Magazine, April 2012, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  14. Opening Ceremony Time Out London, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  15. Opening Ceremony Opening London Store www.huhmagazine.co.uk, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  16. Hannah Elliott. Opening Ceremony Duo To Kenzo Forbes, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  17. Meenal Mistry. Kenzo Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show – Vogue Vogue, October 2011, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  18. Humberto Leon and Carol Lim Interview Magazine, April 2012, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  19. #BoFLive The Business of Fashion, February 11, 2014, retrieved June 16, 2016^
  20. EXCLUSIVE: Kenzo Parts Ways with Creative Directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim June 14, 2019^
  21. Humberto Leon. Father's Day: A Personal Essay from Humberto Leon Opening Ceremony^