Interview with the 'King of Leather'

Interview with celebrity fashion designer Michael Lombard – the unconventional ‘King of Leather’

28th August 2020

Michael Lombard photographed by Rick Stockwell

Dubbed ‘King of Leather’ by the Huffington Post, Michael began designing because he was tired of wearing other people’s interpretations… He is now, perhaps, the most original designer working with leather today.

His clothing collections reveal instantly recognisable silhouettes drawn from his apocalyptic punk aesthetic – and it is not only us that gets the appeal, many celebrities do too!

Check out our interview below, where we were lucky enough to catch up with the designer and find out more about the brand and his love for working with leather.

You have been named “King of leather”- what do you think it is that sets you apart from other designers that work with leather?

Huffington Post called me the “King of Leather” because I’m modern and edgy. I do things with leather that is cutting edge.

You have previously said that you couldn’t find the type of leather you wanted to wear, hence you began to design your own. What was it specifically that you found was lacking?

Well it wasn’t what I couldn’t find, I was just tired of buying other people’s interpretations of leather. I wanted to create my own designs in styles that I found appealing.

Out of all your collections, which is your favourite and why?

That is a very hard question because I really love them all but World War M was a classic in my book. The whole apocalyptic theme was stunning with all of the square shoulder designs I introduced, army green and grey pallets with studs. Truly one of my favourites.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs and what influences them?

I find inspiration from many things like architectural structures to traveling around the world experiencing new things. I put that all together when creating a new collection.

Why is leather the material of your choice?

I’ve always loved leather and I wanted to work with it because it’s very challenging, but once you understand how you can manipulate it then it’s a pleasure to work with.

You have dressed a wealth of influential celebrities, who has been your favourite and most memorable?

Well all my celebrities I’ve dressed are my favourites but Paula Abdul is my most memorable as I’ve grown up listening to her music.

Who would you like to work with in the future?

I definitely have a few! Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Jay Z, Bad Bunny, Katy Perry, JLO to name but a few. I would say stay tuned as some of those are in the works as we speak!

What is your goal when creating your designs? How do you want people to feel when they wear your clothes?

My goal is to just have people enjoying my style. I definitely want people to feel like they are wearing a piece of the future, feel like they are powerful and untouchable in my pieces.

Below a selection of imagery from Michael Lombard’s Cyber Punk collection.