By Emilia Batory and Brian James
One of our most anticipated London Fashion Week events was the opportunity to view Leo Prothmann’s latest collection “Finca” and it didn’t disappoint. We loved the vivid and fluid designs, the structured silhouettes, dramatic dimensions and gagged at the exaggerated platform boots with their rubber grip soles and heavy metal heels.
Asked about the collection’s highly evocative title Leo told us “I wanted to invite everyone to my country home in Spain, that’s where I live and that’s where I grew up and I wanted to bring everyone around there to show them how we live and what I would wear out there. In the winter, Spain it isn’t too cold, it’s wet so we need wellies, heavy leather materials, nice tonal colours, good leather jackets, once in a while a nice tailored suit, a silhouette coat, and platform boots always”
Expanding on further influences they said “There are references to Hede Buhl a German sculptural artist – we have a sculpture here from it. This sculpture was made from old horse riding blankets that we used for our horses in Spain, back when I was a horse rider and I wanted to make some sculptures from them which is quite fun”
There’s an interplay between art and fashion that informs all Leo’s work and they told Broke mag “I really wanted to introduce everyone to how painting and colours is really part of my world, it’s always a way of stepping away from the fashion world; painting, taking colour, going back and then re-drawing. So I wanted to show everyone that I do that too.
Elaborating on that connectivity Leo said “It always starts with the painting and then I leave the clothes and go back to painting. One picture here ( at the show ) I painted for three years, leaving it and coming back to it, doing layers, layers, layers. So that’s my approach…. I apply that to my boots which we made, so it’s a great exercise to experiment and to be free”.
Showing their A/W 25 collection on the Jurema Terrace of the Mandrake Hotel , an urban oasis of flora and foliage in W1, a short distance but a world away from London Fashion Week’s usual high-energy histrionics the designer told us “The setting for the collection this year is inspired by my grandparents. I lost both of them in one month so I decided to do a very calm presentation with collaborated music with Holden, a techno DJ but is an incredible componist too. So,he’s made this bespoke track just to be a bit more sensitive to what has happened in the past months and get everyone to have a real insight into the brand and how we work, what we make”.
That way of working is characterised by an environmental empathy “We make everything in our little studio in Whitechapel. We source everything ourselves, nothing is outsourced, what you buy from us is probably made by me or someone else in the studio so it’s completely circular and I’ve seen that product and checked that product”.
Going into further detail on the ethical ethos that underpins the production process the designer told us that if they buy leather it needs to be a by-product so everything is naturally Veg-Tan and no aggressive chemicals are used. They added that all denim is fully cotton , that rolls and rolls of deadstock were utilised and that this season’s very gorgeous handbags were made from off cuts so the production process really was the epitome of zero waste pattern cutting.
Touching on that move into accessories Leo said “My partner who’s also my muse says I have this incredible ability to work with leather and she kept on saying I want more bags (laughs). It’s easy for people to wear , it’s a bit more of an expansion into people being able to wear something without feeling that they look outrageous”. That accessorization was enhanced with a selection of iconic frames supplied by seminal sunglasses brand Oakley, a collaboration close to lifetime wearer Leo’s heart.
Describing their work as “All genders” we wanted to know how that informs Leo’s life and creative process “I live in a community where we don’t really have gender specific roles, Of course I have some mates and girlfriends who identify as female and male but my community is heavily all-genders with pronouns they/them so I never really want to pinpoint anything. So, often I’d wear something like I’m wearing today and some people might think that’s a woman’s look but everythings all genders for me , including shoes”.
Having lived in London for six years, that community and the capital’s energy and subcultures is something they draw from. “I think that London is so funky and fun… I feel that London has always been on my side. London’s my home , it’s just a cool city. When I walk down the street , there’s all languages, everyones here, everyones having a good time”.
London’s far removed from the childhood Finca and we wanted to know what inspired Leo’s initial love of fashion. “This is going to sound very,very basic but I’m not going to lie to you, when the music video “Born this way” came out from Lady Gaga when I was twelve and then I saw that McQueen show I thought I love this.. I love that energy. It was so fun. Then I started sewing , growing up as a boy. It was a bit difficult , being creative and being slightly flamboyant and pushing the boundaries of what’s considered normal . and then I really never let go of that”.
Fast forward to arriving in London to pursue a Uni degree and internships with Matty Bovan and Craig Green. Leo told Broke mag “ Matty is just a great person, we went to Milan together, he took me to all his shows and showed me a lot with his colouring… Matty has this incredible elasticity , and I thought this is great, I need to learn from this process” Craig is just meticulous. I was working there for six weeks and they asked me if I wanted to stay and I stayed for another eight months. We were sewing incredible pieces. That’s where I learned how to make a bomber jacket like the one in the collection, his studio showed me so much, it was an incredible experience”.
That fashion education has taken Leo Prothmann to a place where the brand occupies that enviable sweet spot where they’re both under the radar and in the know. A richly deserved place to be at this early stage in their story but one that hasn’t been without its challenges. Prior to the loss of both maternal grandparents, Leo’s brother Max was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023 undergoing chemo and laser therapy. That motivated the designer to create the “M” T shirt, an ongoing collaboration with graphic artist Seniz Jones, with all proceeds going to the British Brain Tumour Research Foundation. As Leo told us “We try to not just be fashion and glam but also spread awareness”.
Looking to the future Leo wants to “Keep going, keep pushing, keep learning and making new things. I’m looking forward to Spring/Summer and coming back to the Mandrake on the Terrace”. We’re excited to see how that future unfolds.