LC with Polartec: strange is beautiful
Leo Colacicco is an in-demand designer. A quick look at his brand’s website is enough to understand why he is such a sought-after figure in the design world. His clothing line, LC23, boasts unique styles, striking colors and a sense of positivity as irrepressible as Leo’s smile. But there are also armchairs, footwear, swimwear and even dishes, all with a decidedly Leo-oriented sensibility.
Then there are the collaborations with some of the biggest names in sports fashion – Nike, New Balance, Diadora and Puma.
With an eye for unique details and obvious quality, Leo never backs down from an out-of-the-box brief or unexpected material to shape his vision. In fact, we can’t think of another designer who has taken our fabrics in more novel directions than the master of LC23. From fleece coats made from Polartec Thermal Pro to sleeveless jackets made from 100% embroidered Polartec Power AirTM fabric and shearling bomber jackets, Leo highlights the stylistic versatility of technical fabrics time and time again. He manages to turn a classic fleece into a trendy design signal.
The training of a master
We recently met with Leo to get to know the man behind one of Italy’s most interesting new brands. We found out that he’s not just a brilliant mind: creating fashion runs in the family.
“I’ve always had a passion for fashion,” he says, “My mother is a shirtmaker with Neapolitan roots and my passion comes from her. Of course, I didn’t know that when I grew up I would end up doing what I do now – I actually studied something else – but when I came home after my Master’s I believed that LC23 could become my life’s work.”
He earned his Master’s degree in e-fashion at Politecnico di Milano, but instead of staying in the city to try to launch his brand in Italy’s fashion and design capital, Leo returned home to Gioia del Colle. He registered the LC23 brand in 2011, opening an online shop soon after.
When we asked him why he chose his home instead of one of Europe’s great fashion capitals, he told us about his deep love for his homeland, as well as his connection with his friends and family. “I think the quality of life here is among the best in the world: that’s what energizes me. E… I’ve always taken great pleasure in proving that something of value can be created in the deep south (of Italy) – that plays a role, too.”
A designer’s dream fleece
Leo uses Polartec Thermal Pro to realize his most extravagant ideas. Thanks to the unparalleled versatility of our “DOC” synthetic fleece, Leo knows that sooner or later he’ll be able to shape, work the material to meet his needs. Infinite color and weight combinations offer designers a dream fabric choice to shock expectations of what can be achieved with fleece.
How do we bring all this variety to life? With the expertise that comes from more than a century of experience making fabrics. That’s how we’ve focused on precise yarn selection and orientation, mastered the art of dyeing to the exacting specifications of world-class designers, and refined the industry-leading finishing techniques that make Polartec just Polartec.
