“It would be terrible if someone walked in the showroom and knew what to expect,” Chris Leba declared during a preview of his spring R13 collection that was shockingly bright, floral filled and had a heightened sense of femininity.
The designer has a knack for shifting gears each season while upholding the brand’s punk ethos imbued in his reworked classic silhouettes with technical innovations. He noted the biggest challenge for spring was balancing the brand’s edge with color, and he hit the mark with a yin-yang of masculinity and femininity. For instance, a majority of the season’s shorts came ultra-short, as in adorable floral-printed or railroad striped bloomers, while an intriguing cargo miniskirt unbuttoned at the front to reveal a pair of khaki shorts underneath. In addition, he brought fresh intrigue to classic bottoms and overdyed flannels with crafty layered appliqués of flowers, skulls and even an AI-generated, mohawk-donning rock star.
His contrasts of optimism and angst continued through a red sequined blazer paired with little linen tailored shorts; classic button-ups with graffiti scribbles; baggy cargo pants in bright colors, mismatched stripes or floral patterns (motifs he said were partially inspired by spending time in his garden while designing the collection), and head-to-toe brand signatures rendered in perkier hues.
The collection peppered in a fun assortment of western-tinged styles — nods to Beyoncé’s most recent hit album (because why not?), as well as his design background at Ralph Lauren — which came through electric yellow fur-trimmed chaps; updated, slouchy cowboy boots; leather holster bags, and ultra-fun bi-color, double-bonded leather jackets and shorts.
Spring proved Leba’s range continues to expand and delightfully surprise.
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