AIME LEON DORE SS26 DROPS WITH NEW BALANCE

Teddy Santis built Aimé Leon Dore from a Queens basement into a $100 million brand by doing something obvious that everyone else got wrong: refusing to choose between tailoring and streetwear. On February 18, 2026 at 11 AM EST, he dropped SS26 with 40 looks that prove the thesis works at scale. Twelve years in, and the brand still sounds like no one else in menswear. The New Balance collaboration is where things get interesting. Cobalt blue and neon green activewear that feels like late-90s peak function, paired with a technical running vest and mesh hoodie that actually move. Santis became New Balance's Made in USA creative director in 2021, a dual role that remains unprecedented in sneaker culture. The SS26 reissues of the 471 and 1300, that navy hairy suede with yellow backtab detail, are the kind of footnotes people will hunt for in five years. Then there is the Alekos Fassianos collaboration. The Greek painter died in 2022, but his cyclists and mythic figures, those flowing scarves and windswept hair that feel like ancient frescoes, now live inside ALD's seasonal DNA. This is not heritage tourism. Santis translated Fassianos' sense of air and freedom into how the collection actually sits on the body. It is the kind of move that separates taste from commerce. The Technics turntable in green and gold signals something larger. Santis is not just making clothes anymore. He is building what luxury brands spend decades trying to fake: a cohesive point of view that spans tailoring, sneakers, turntables, and art. Previous partnerships with Porsche and Woolrich were experiments. This feels like infrastructure. The color strategy and silhouettes confirm what the market already knows. Double-breasted blazers in herringbone and earth-tone tweed live next to quarter-zips in periwinkle and turquoise, relaxed tailoring that breathes, chunky ribbed knitwear that begs to be layered. This is not maximalism. It is maximalism with an edit. The pieces talk to each other instead of competing. The business validates the vision. LVMH took a minority stake in 2022