Aimé Leon Dore gets that LVMH money. Now what?

Thoughts about ALD, why they were right to take the money from LVMH, and how it's okay to build a brand AND get that bag.

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It was only a matter of time…

…Before Aimé Leon Dore secured the bag and got a major co-sign from LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). This morning, Business of Fashion reported that LVMH took a minority stake in ALD, the American sports + streetwear brand based out of New York City.

And for those who are privy, you can’t say we didn’t see this coming. It’s long felt like an imminent move for both parties.

“I think [this investment] it drives home the point that a number of younger American brands are exerting significant influence in the market right now,” says Julie Zerbo, founder and editor-in-chief of The Fashion Law. To be clear, ALD has been securing the bag for a while, as they’ve consistently sold out of seasonal collections with brands like New Balance, Drake’s, Porsche, Clark’s, and Woolrich. They have carefully curated retailers who sell in their respective stores, they have a booming online business, and they’ve created a surmountable social buzz with their standalone flagship store on Mulberry Street in Soho.

With a fresh pot of cash, they’re launching a second flagship in London early this year, with more on the way.

Why it actually matters