LEBLANCSTUDIOS on Santo Domingo, New York, and the Politics of Beauty

Fashion loves to play with Latin energy, until it has to deal with Latin complexity. LEBLANCSTUDIO - born in Santo Domingo and now operating between the Dominican Republic and New York - has never been interested in playing the role the industry writes for the Caribbean. Founded in 2014 by Angelo Beato and Yamil Arbaje, the label mixes dorky opulence with sportswear roughness, beauty with instability, and satire with tenderness. Ahead of today’s FW26 show with Submission Beauty, the Dominican-born label talks diaspora, satire, dorky opulence, and why New York is another Dominican neighborhood.

PHOTOGRAPHY CAMILO FUENTEALBA BREVIS @camilo.fuentealba.brevis
INTERVIEW JESPER GUDBERGSEN @yessirjesper

LEBLANCSTUDIOS was born in Santo Domingo and now lives between the Dominican Republic and New York. What did you feel was missing from fashion when you started the brand in 2014 - and how do you feel the two cities inspire you ?
Angelo Beato I felt there was a lack of new faces and fresh perspectives in how clothes were being approached within the fashion world at that time. Caribbean and Latin American voices often express particularly strong political perspectives compared to those in Europe, North America, or Asia. New York City and Santo Domingo inspire me due to its constant movement, people, money, slang, fashion, music, trauma, ambition. For many Dominicans New York City is another neighborhood.

Yamil Arbeje Well, we were isolated from the fashion industry as we know it. We just knew about the Dominican Republic. We were doing fashion for our community in Santo Domingo. I think what was missing was Caribbean and Latin American voices in the industry. We bring a new perspective and it is so noticeable from all the designers around our region and I love that!

You’ve described the brand as spotlighting overlooked qualities of Latin American culture through satire and storytelling. What are you most determined to protect from being flattened or stereotyped?
AB Global powers frequently underestimate the Caribbean and Latin America's innovative capacity, viewing our region as lacking in alternative solutions.  But from what I’ve seen in my own experience, we come from a tradition of building instant solutions shaped by our circumstances. Although we are often taught to see our creations as inferior copies, I am committed to protecting and highlighting the significant value and power of our culture.

YA I want to clarify that Latin America and the Caribbean are very diverse and also very different, even if we share some cultural similarities. Many times people reduce our cultures to being happy, loud and colorful, defined by beaches, sun, tropical aesthetics and flowers. That is only one small part of who we are, and in fashion that has often been the only image shown.

Our regions are also full of literature, intellectual thinking and very strong everyday personal style. There is a deep sense of community but also many contradictions and more complex realities. I feel very protective of that complexity, including the humor, the quiet moments and also the darker sides that shape how we live. Through our work we try to show the full spectrum of our experiences, not only the romantic or stereotypical version people expect.

"Many times people reduce our cultures to being happy, loud and colorful, defined by beaches, sun, tropical aesthetics and flowers. That is only one small part of who we are, and in fashion that has often been the only image shown."

What does it mean to you to be a Caribbean brand in New York - especially in an industry that still treats “Latin” like a single aesthetic?
AB It means expanding to a bigger audience, new spaces and connecting to the Dominican and latino diaspora. 

YA Good question! I think in New York City, the community itself knows the difference between these two different concepts. I would say even more than people that live in the Dominican Republic or any country in Latin America, because you know - with the diaspora here in NYC there is so much knowledge and awareness around those concepts. So, in general in New York I feel accepted.  

Your work often mixes “dorky opulence” with roughness and sportswear. What draws you to that tension?
AB That comes from my fascination with excess that isn’t trying to be cool. There’s something powerful about beauty that doesn’t seduce in a conventional way.

YA I am very attracted to classic menswear. So, finding a new language within something that is generally perceived as conservative is always a thought in our process. Making it a little unfashionable, or just bringing together the two extremes of each side. The contrast between the most opulent garment you can imagine and the most basic everyday wear, like this season’s track jacket with faux fur panels on top.

Where does a collection actually start for you - a silhouette, a fabric, an image, a memory - and how do you know when it’s turning into something real?
AB We start with writing our ideas, then look at references from archival material, could be musicians, films, archive photos from our country or family. Then we have a solid foundation where we start sketching or just draping with existing clothes, ripping them apart and combining colors. 

You’ve said your definition of beauty is “very particular,” and that you want to celebrate people who look different but still beautiful. What does that look like to you right now?
YA I love people that have a very particular sense of beauty or style that they don’t even think about. It’s effortless. They are not trying to fit into a category or follow a label. I love when a person’s style is hard to define, when you cannot immediately place them.

Representation is a word that gets thrown around a lot in fashion. What does real representation mean to you - beyond the casting sheet?
AB We should always aim for a super diverse cast that genuinely fits the brand's story and vision, from the core idea right up to how we connect with our community. Making sure the representation is real is a huge part of the message we're sending.

When you’re casting a show, what are you actively looking for in the models - energy, presence, identity, attitude? And what does representation look like for you this season?
AB The energy in their walk, how they feel with the clothes, their looks… If they tell a story.. Representation for us looks powerful, ranging from casual, formal, theatrical and human.

YA It’s more finding in that person something unusual but still familiar. Someone that can be your friend, family member or your professor. It has to have some character. It’s crazy how the same look can go from 0 to 10 just because of the model. 

FW26 explores instability, pressure, and political tension - and resilience through construction. What kind of tension is this collection responding to?
AB The tension of the big cities, the complexities of being far from home, a response to adaptability, using beauty as strategy. 

"I think if the work is honest, it has a reason to exist."

We’re in a political moment that feels loud, divisive, and exhausting. How do you engage with politics in the work without turning the clothes into a lecture?
YA We just take small bits of the current environment or sometimes draw parallel with the past and the present. it shouldn’t be so direct. We don’t do it because what’s happening at the moment, there’s always something happening. We have always been involved in politics because in the Dominican Republic you are so close to it and the corruption is crystal clear there.

In 2026, it can feel like the world is either on fire or performing for the internet. How do you stay grounded enough to make real work?
YA To think about this is very draining because everything feels so temporary. I always like to go back to my mission and remind myself why I make clothes. The main reason is simply that I enjoy doing this.
People always say, “Do we need more fashion brands?” But I also ask, do we need more architects? Do we need more civil engineers? This applies to so many professions, and people don’t talk about that.

I think if the work is honest, it has a reason to exist. And one of the main reasons is that a good business contributes to society in many ways.

You’ve referenced the 1970s and 1990s in Latin America as influences this season. What do those decades unlock for you creatively - and emotionally?
YA The best fashion happened at this time in that region. Also, a series of events, culturally, politically and socially make the 70s in Latin America something very memorable. There were so many young artists, filmmakers doing amazing work and that influences our work today. 

When someone wears LEBLANCSTUDIOS, who are they? Who do you hope they feel seen as?
AB They are young in their souls, but also playful and mature. Our client is very curious and interested in culture and history.

What do you hope people misunderstand less about Latin American culture after seeing your show?
AB I want the to see how Latin Americans are supposed to look and feel outside of our country. That we have so much to bring to the table and we possess powerful creators.

What made you want to collaborate with Submission Beauty for NYFW - and what does this relationship mean to you?
YA Submission a serious business with a sustainable mindset, and on top of that it adds a meaningful layer of photography through the magazine, which could stand on its own without needing the product part. So the dialogue between those two really resonates with me.

What do you hope our shared audience walks away with - not just about the clothes, but about the world you’re building?
AB A fresh look and a solid vision of LEBLANCSTUDIOS. A young and powerful experience, and an intense feeling of our world. 

@LEBLANCSTUDIOS