When it comes to creating legendary link-ups, Leo Gamboa is Levi’s secret weapon.
For many, tiredness is creeping into the wider collaboration landscape. With so many link-ups feeling forced or played out methods to boost stock shares, much of the organic nature of what brand partnerships should be about has fizzled out.
But for Levi’s, the only fatigue setting in is in their denim itself — with their partnerships showcasing how to blend brand visions together in an exciting and expert manner.
So how does the denim brand continue to set the levels? The answer is Leo Gamboa and his Levi’s collaborations team.
A bonafide legend in the style space, Leo is one of the most respected figures in the game, as verified a dot-connector as he is a cultural curator. Perennially tapped in with shifts in culture, the long-term friendships Leo has fostered in the fashion space have seen him create high and low-brow collaborations underpinned with a strong sense of purpose, authenticity and storytelling.
From off-kilter partnerships with Kiko Kostadinov and 194 Local to streetwear stalwarts like Awake New York and Stüssy, Leo has guided Levi’s collaboration arm to new heights in recent years – but he insists the best is still yet to come.
I sat down with Leo Gamboa to learn more about how he got into his role as ‘Mr Denim’, the legacy he wants to create at Levi’s, and what makes a good collaboration in 2025
You have a wealth of experience in the game. Can you talk to us about your background and experience in the fashion world and your journey before working with Levi’s?
My journey is actually pretty interesting because I didn’t study fashion—I studied marketing. I was a union contractor who built offices and buildings. I worked at the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building, which helped me learn the process of building products. From that point on – I co started a shoelace company with Alex Dymond and – started collaborating with companies like Nike, Colette, Gap, and Timberland. That was my entry into learning the product creation process.Then, I started doing brand management for a company called Packer in New Jersey, and they do amazing collaborations. I worked with pretty much every footwear brand you can name. Then I went to Reebok for about four years, leading their global collaboration strategy there, which allowed me to really solidify my place in the collaborations space. From there I was able to come to this amazing brand where I get to work on collaborations that are grounded in an amazing product. It was a great learning process – starting from footwear, before working on apparel too.
Do you think coming from a footwear background made the transition into working on clothing collaborations easier?
It’s always about understanding the consumer and the product itself. The first piece of the puzzle is: “What do people want?” I think that I had a really good understanding of the marketplace and the consumer, alongside confidence in my taste level. So I used to implement that into my strategy of design
.Now you’re applying that to denim with Levi’s. How are you finding that experience?
The beauty of jeans is that they get better with age. Trainers don’t get better with age, they fall apart! I’m learning the denim nuances every day – and every day, I learn something new. It’s been so amazing to learn all about the history and heritage of this brand, because we are the best denim brand in the world.Every time we make a pair of jeans, that pair of jeans could last over 100 years. I feel so good giving people jeans or seeing people buy jeans knowing their grandkids – maybe their grandkids’ grandkids – will have those jeans, and they’re going to be ten times better than when you bought them today.
You said you worked in building construction. Did you always have a mindset of wanting to build something beautiful? And what influenced you to want to do that?
My dream job was to be an architect… and I’m somewhat of an architect in that I’m creating product. I’m not a traditional designer, but I would call myself a curator connectorI got inspired by so many things growing up. I’m 47, so I grew up in a golden era of art and fashion design. I grew up and got inspired during a time when there was no social media. I had to experience things firsthand – and I didn’t learn from the internet. New York is the mecca of that. Hanging out in NYC, Brooklyn and Queens you – had to be in the mix, showcasing your personality and style. I thrived on that.
Did growing up and being in the cut like that really help inform your understanding of different style tribes?
I always felt like my group of friends, or the community that I hung out with were early adopters. We were understanding the trends way before they got commercialised. I think that with anything that trends these days, it’s really the person that makes the product cool a lot of times.We’re in a different day and age, and it’s actually so beautiful how the kids are doing it now compared to then – the opportunity they have to showcase their personal style has allowed style to evolve.
Levi’s has a rich collaborative history, but since you’ve joined, they’ve become increasingly on-point. What was your vision for what you wanted to achieve in your role?
I think that what myself and the team, and shout out to the team, because we have an amazing team – we always make sure we partner with the right people. We’re looking at the icons of the present, the future icons, and the early adapters. There’s always a red thread between who we work with – but we’ll do best in class, in whatever genre that we’re targeting.There’s a consumer who can’t afford Sacai, but they might find a 194 Local link-up more attainable, perhaps they’re a younger demographic. It’s mastering the balance – you can’t just keep putting out a certain style of partnership. But whether it’s niche or a massive globally-renowned brand, we have to disrupt and story-tell in an interesting way.
When it comes to collaborations what is the biggest strength Levi’s bring to the table? What do you guys consistently do best?
There’s a confidence in knowing we’re the best in what we do which validates any conversation for the consumer. If you’re going to work on denim, who better to work with? The product and history speak for itself. We always want to work with both established and emerging partners in unexpected ways to bring something fresh to the market, each and every time.
What principles do you keep in mind when thinking about whether a collaboration makes sense for Levi’s to work with?
We always apply a “Who, What, Why” framework – Levi’s carefully considers who the partner is, what we will work on together, and understanding why this collaboration is meaningful and authentic.Levi’s place a strong emphasis on ensuring each partnership has a genuine, compelling narrative before we get into the product design process. The story comes first.We try to identify and partner with creative talents early in their careers. Whether it’s working with Tremaine Emory or Kiko Kostadinov, we leverage and continue to build upon long-term, authentic relationships we’ve developed.
How hands-on are you with each collaboration you work on?
Pretty hands-on, yeah! We have a small, but incredible team – and this team specifically focuses on collaborations. So design, merchandising, marketing… across all those functions, we all work really closely together. Without the team, there’s no fashion – it’s a team sport!
What’s your favourite collaboration you’ve worked on – and why?
It’s actually coming out this year – it’s one of the most exciting things. It’s def a dream project and can’t wait for it to come out!
