Stepping into Chris Leba’s R13 showroom in SoHo was like encountering a vibrant oasis in the middle of the bustling city—a burst of color and a refreshing sense of style. It’s a testament to Leba’s unique vision that he can seamlessly blend unexpected hues and playful silhouettes while maintaining the brand’s signature cool vibe. “The trick is to find how to do color and still look like R13, that’s my whole thing,” said Leba.
But how exactly does he achieve this? “If you’re wearing something that’s sort of sweet, then you need to find some edge to add to it,” he explained. And it’s Leba’s unwavering cool touch that transforms this idea from theory into a tangible and irresistible reality.
Consider the bold red sequin jacket, or the unexpected pair of pink floral cargos. Or perhaps a powder blue canvas jacket paired with those surprisingly sweet flowery bloomers. These elements, on their own, might not immediately conjure up images of R13 or ‘cool’. They might even be considered ‘trendy’. But Leba, with his masterful understanding of style, elevates them to a whole new level. He transforms that sequin blazer into a statement piece, oversized and sharp, with rolled-up sleeves and paired with tiny bloomers in a gray Prince of Wales check suiting fabric. The floral cargos become a statement of nonchalant defiance, cut to hang loosely off the body. The canvas jacket, cropped just above the abdomen and styled with a studded belt and Bermuda shorts, evokes a grungy vibe reminiscent of the late 1980s. And those seemingly cutesy bloomers? They are paired with a belt almost as wide as the shorts themselves and a black leather T-shirt, a statement of unapologetic cool.
Leba has loosened up his proportions this season, going even further than before, with remarkable results. He drops the crotches of his shorts and trousers, sometimes adding gussets for an even more relaxed fit. This creates an androgynous aesthetic, a subtle sultriness that’s both alluring and sophisticated. “I want it to be sexy but not necessarily revealing,” explained Leba. And he has certainly achieved that. The result is a collection that’s both playful and undeniably cool, showcasing Leba’s mastery of mixing sweetness with edge to create pieces that are as stylish as they are wearable.
