I love effortless elegance, a comfortable luxury’
Sensual, chic and comfortable, that characterizes the signature style of Leon Klaassen Bos. In the quality of his designs for P.A.P Collective you can unmistakably see his couture background. ‘A good design looks effortless and luxurious at the same time.’
You may know Leon Klaassen Bos from his fashion label LeonLeon. Or from his – by now world-famous – LED dress with two thousand lights, which he made for the NEMO Science Centre. Or perhaps by the iconic role he played in the nightlife of Amsterdam and Paris in the 1990s. Today, in addition to designing his own couture label, Leon is creative director and co-founder of P.A.P Collective. A role in which he wants to make comfortable luxury accessible, with timeless designs of top quality.
Comfort and couture
“Our world is becoming more and more digital and that is precisely why we are looking for tactility. A sense of luxury and comfort,” says Leon. “When I design, I’m not just about the look, but also the feeling the fabric gives you. And that’s universal. The soft feel of alpaca on the skin is an absolutely sensual experience.” He is also interested in developing innovative new fibers and fabrics. As an example, he mentions bamboo, which is antibacterial and breathable. Seaweed as a raw material for textiles is also promising, nourishing the skin with vitamins and minerals. Leon sees it as the luxury of the future. “A good design looks effortless and adds something to the wearer’s life. My designs for P.A.P Collective are therefore a response to growing digitalization.”
Sharing knowledge and craftmanship
P.A.P Collective’s style is born out of a desire for quality that goes beyond trends. “A great example is a garment of which the design and material are so good, that the item remains beautiful and later becomes vintage,” Leon explains. “Think of it as the ultimate form of sustainability. To achieve that, you need high standard craft and design.” Couture design as Leon knows it from Paris, the city where the Volendam-raised designer worked in the mid-1990s for several fashion houses, including Yves Saint Laurent. “For that level I developed master classes for the P.A.P. Collective where creative makers are trained to actually be able to make future vintage. By sharing that knowledge, we want to build the future of good design.”
‘Future vintage I see as the ultimate form of sustainability’