The Characters Behind the Collection
Every great story needs great characters.
Whenever we decide to tell a story, and put out a collection, we begin by imagining who will be responsible for telling it. Characters are vehicles – for thoughts, emotions, beliefs, moods. Without them, meaning cannot be communicated.
At the center of this collection stands El Gringo. Not just a character, but a figure in himself. At once archetype and outsider. He has served gangsters at dive bars and carried lumber with blistered hands. She has told fortunes for mariachi bands and hunted for small game on desert plains.
Together, they have danced until dawn and sang their hearts out.
Now, we invite you to get to know them a little better…
LUMBERJACK
Women’s Look
A New Woman in her own right. Her cropped leather vest blooms with suede floral appliqué, every petal hand-stitched, fringes spilling from the back yoke. Underneath, a dark brown silk-blend blouse, its flocked florals catching light, blue buttons fastening balloon sleeves that spill into double-layered ruffle cuffs. The denim is bleach-tinted and laser-printed with flowers, balloon-fitted at a low rise, oversized pockets anchoring its form.
Men’s Look
The working man, reimagined. He wears a suede track top, paneled in colour blocks and traced with authentic piping; a modern shell over a crisp white poplin shirt with balloon sleeves and a yoke cut true to tradition. His jeans remind you of where’s been; seams left raw and stitched by hand, a braid loop marking the back pocket as his own. The Lumberjack might wreck himself each night, but each morning, he can fix himself up and get back in the brush.
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MEXICAN DANCER
Men’s Look
He steps out of the dressing room and into brown carpet-embossed leather: a double-breasted blazer with self-fabric covered buttons and authentic cut lines; single-pleated trousers to match. Underneath, a red poplin shirt runs oversized – balloon sleeves and an authentic yoke holding its shape – anchored by a fitted white tank in the seasonal signature knitted jacquard. The Mexican Dancer moves like a metronome gone rogue, tradition on the outside, pulse on the inside.
Women’s Look
She throws on a cropped red suede jacket, floral emboss catching the light, silver-and-gold metal buttons closing the front and cuffs, the cut held true and clean. The black layered maxi falls long and heavy, an A-line silhouette drawn up high at the waist, its knitted waistband binding shape to flow. The look is fiery and disciplined; every layer turns with her, our Mexican Dancer, fabric moving like a choreography of its own.
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MARIACHI
Men’s Look
His aura is the first thing you see. Sharpened by a white stroke drawn around his outline, our Mariachi man wears a double-breasted blazer traced with floral embroidery at collar and sleeve, with self-fabric buttons and branding appliquéd across the back like a crest. Pleated trousers follow the stroke; embroidery curling at the seams, beads stitched into the line of each leg. Against the tailored form, a fitted white jacquard tank sits close to the body.
Women’s Look
She appears on the scene like a verse in sung red – sharp, deliberate, impossible to ignore. The Mariachi femme wears a silk-touch tunic, gathered at the waist into a rose, draping effortlessly into a pleated, asymmetrical maxi skirt that sculpts her hips. The look is a composition of line and flare: rose and rhythm, cut to echo the drama of the song all are waiting for her to sing.
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HUNTER
Men’s Look
He is dressed for pursuit, not spectacle. A beige poplin shirt opens the frame, its short sleeves cut with an authentic yoke and patterned in carpet jacquard across the shoulders. Over it, a camel blazer in embossed suede, double-breasted and closed with buttons of its own fabric. The trousers follow in the same embossed suede. Our Hunter looks more like a man stepping out of the treeline than one walking a runway, and yet, here he is.
Women’s Look
She’s ready for action. The Hunteress wears an oversized bomber in olive suede, its pockets made to hold more than hands – provisions, tools, keepsakes. Underneath, chiffon spills into a wrap maxi dress, printed in lurex florals. Balloon sleeves lift with volume, while the waist pulls tight before the fabric loosens again in motion. The contrast is deliberate: utility layered over shimmer, the pragmatic sheltering the ornate.
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ANATOLIAN MYSTIC
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Women’s Look
Her look is similar with key differences. Her vest is reversible. One side is washed floral denim, the other is leather. Hand-stitched details bind both worlds together. A long white poplin shirt sits underneath pulled tight into a corset-style statement-piece. White poplin shorts gather into form at the hem, light against the weight above. The look straddles ritual and randomness, reminding us that reality is more interesting – even, more real – when we throw skepticism to the wind.
Men’s Look
Our first character from the Near East, he wears a shawl-collar vest in washed floral denim, its back yoke alive with appliqué and embroidery, cut with the precision of old craft. A brodé-detailed white poplin shirt ties at the Anatolian Mystic’s chest with a drawstring, the same brodé running down loose white poplin trousers. This is not a costume, it’s a serious display of a traveller who holds the keys to ecstatic truth.
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RUG WEAVER
Women’s Look
She wears a double-breasted blazer in Anatolian woven jacquard over a fitted corset top cut from the same textile. A rinse-washed balloon mini skirt in denim offsets the jacquard tailoring, giving the look a more evenly-stricken balance between form and play. Our Rug Weaving femme is rootless as our man, but her look is more liberated. She knows her past, but she’s absolutely modern.
Men’s Look
Our Rug Weaver wears a long-sleeve shirt in Anatolian jacquard, layered with a reversible vest in the same woven fabric. His trousers continue the story in matching jacquard, creating a head-to-toe look grounded in traditional weave. He has left the prism of the East, but his craft remains there, rooted in a past that is as unbreakable as the knots he ties into rugs.
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FANCY GANGSTER
Men’s Look
Our Fancy Gangster is dressed for Spanish Harlem as much as the badlands of Mexico. He wears a black shirt with drawstring detailing, paired with black leather trousers finished with blue contrast leather appliqué. The look is sharp, pared down, and edged with contrast.
Women’s Look
Behind a smokescreen of gunshots and battle scars, she emerges wearing a cropped black asymmetric jacket layered over a long black shirt, cinched at the waist. High-waisted tailored trousers complete the silhouette, clean and elongated in proportion.
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HORSE STABLE OWNERS
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Women’s Look
She may be a horse girl, but she’s about as far from wholesome Americana as can be. She wears a white oversized shirt with balloon sleeves and fitted high cuffs, in keeping with one of our recurring motifs this season. Her cropped brown leather vest maintains the Eastern origin story of her equestrian past. It features a floral appliqué with hand-stitched details and a yoke in the back. Its lovely fringes dangle in the wind, draping over her tint washed shortshorts behind her like a well-kept mane.
Men’s Look
Our Horse Stable Owner stands ready to tame a wild mare. He wears a brown leather vest with floral appliqué and handmade closures, the back of which is constructed in basket-weaving style. The vest is layered over an oversized white poplin shirt with balloon sleeves and an authentic yoke cut. His trousers are bleach-washed and tinted denim with leather appliqué, paired with matching chaps finished with fringes draping over his feet.
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FLORIST
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Women’s Look
Though perhaps a more likely expert in the floral arts, our florist femme won’t be found in an urban flower shop. She wears a camel suede jacket with a classic shirt collar, its surface embroidered in florals. An asymmetric high-waist suede maxi skirt continues the embroidery, the two pieces forming a complete silhouette rooted in craft.
Men’s Look
He’s the kind of florist you travel on foot to find in a desert oasis. He wears a brown leather vest laser-printed and studded, fringes falling from its edges. Underneath, a knitted polo sweater in abstract brown jacquard adds texture, paired with signature woven jacquard trousers that complete the set.
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BARTENDERS
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Men’s Look
He’s the kind of bartender who remembers your drink before you sit down, no matter how long it’s been. He wears a black leather jacket detailed with blue contrast appliqué and finished with metal chain fringe. Underneath, a fitted white jacquard tank holds close to the body, paired with enzyme-washed jeans with a folded hem.
Women’s Look
She’s the kind of bartender who’ll step in when he’s off his rocker. She wears a navy poplin wrap crop shirt with balloon sleeves and fitted cuffs, tied at the waist in back. A slim-fit denim maxi skirt sits high at the waist, distressed with lace accents and cut with a deep front slit.
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TOURISTS
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Men’s Look
He’s the kind of tourist who insists on at least two checked bags. He wears a wax-coated raw denim jacket with contrast stitching, layered with a leather scarf ruffled at the edge, tucked under the peaked lapels of his jacket. His shorts match the jacket in wax-coated raw denim, finished with contrast stitching at the back pocket.
Women’s Look
Between the two of them, she’s the one who planned everything and knows all the directions. But that hasn’t affected her sense of style. wears a raw denim jacket embroidered and appliquéd across the surface, paired with straight high-waist matching jeans closed with buttons. The look is simple, direct, and made to travel.
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FRIDA AND DIEGO
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Men’s Look
Frida Kahlo once said: “I suffered two serious accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down. The other accident is Diego.” We picture the great accident of Diego wearing a white, single-breasted blazer with contrast binding and a contrast, ruffled collar. For his legs, we imagine him pained with indecision, should he wear a matching double-pleated pair of bermudas? Or a pair of wide-cut, ruffled pants? Perhaps, he might think, like any beautiful accident would: “I should wear both!”
Women’s Look
No words can truly describe Friday Kahlo. She was undeniable. We like to think she’d consider wearing a white oversized shirt with balloon sleeves and fitted cuffs. Over that, she might wear a fitted vest with a lot of structure and plunging V-neck; a floral print painted over it. Her pants would match the balloon-aesthetic of her sleeves, cinched instead at the waist.
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FORTUNE TELLERS
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Women’s Look
She may not look like her best friend is a crystal ball, but she can certainly read your palms. She wears a striped shirt of silk blended with a line with a neckline so carefree it’ll put all of your anxieties at ease. For the sleeves, we find the motif balloon look with fitted cuffs, while her back is tied up in an elegant bow. Her pants follow suit: mid-waist, slim straight denim with a floral embroidery – something she would throw on just before a last minute session.
Men’s Look
Our Fortune Teller is no man in a carnival tent. He wears a brown suede shirt, cut true to the region, with leather piping and embroidery on the back yoke. His pants are raw denim, fit with raw side seams done by hand. They feature details on the back pocket and our seasonal signature braided belt loop. Our man has left the camp grounds and opened a pop-up shop in Roma Norte.
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DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
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Men’s Look
We humbly submit this look in commemoration of the Día de los Muertos. We imagine a masculine figure wearing a black nylon tracksuit embroidered with narrative motifs, tonal beadwork stitched along the seams, and adjustable hems that let the silhouette shift. The look marries an athletic edge with ceremonial details.
Women’s Look
Alongside it, we imagine a femme wearing a red and black chiffon wrap maxi dress, lurex florals scattered across its surface, balloon sleeves carrying volume, and a waist gathered before the fabric falls long. A dress that moves with light, carrying remembrance in every fold.
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THE BOXER _ THE MANAGER
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Men’s Look
He’s the boxer, stepping into the ring already armored. A black and silver ranchero mask conceals his face, matched by a black leather jacket embossed with silver embossed appliqué. Trousers in the same leather and appliqué complete the set, a uniform that is as much spectacle as an attack against the weary eyes of his opponent.
Women’s Look
She’s his manager, as measured as the blows he’s pulling back. A dark grey fitted shirt tucks into wide-leg tailored trousers, low-rise with pleats through the front. Around her neck, a handmade, beaded tie draws the look to a precise finish.
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Character Blocking
At Les Benjamins we have a consistent approach to selecting models. We spend months researching origin stories, fabrics, techniques, and production. When someone embodies the spirit of that research, the choice feels obvious. But sometimes, it’s not that simple.
Often, we’ve found that a look is better communicated through contrast. That’s why the characters behind the looks in our collections often challenge gendered and cultural binaries, giving presence to figures we rarely imagine. We don’t typically think about femme lumberjacks or masculine florists. But they exist. So we do our best to give them representation.
On that note, we sometimes choose to go with models who explicitly do not fit the look. Models who demonstrate something diametrically opposed to the character behind the look. Just like our roles in society are not defined by our expectations of them, the people who take those roles shouldn’t be so-defined either.
At times, we take this even further by casting models who stand in opposition to the character behind the look. Just as roles in society are not bound to the expectations placed on them, neither are the people who step into those roles on our runway.
Our Models
At Les Benjamins we have a consistent approach to selecting models. We spend months researching origin stories, fabrics, techniques, and production. When someone embodies the spirit of that research, the choice feels obvious. But sometimes, it’s not that simple.
Often, we’ve found that a look is better communicated through contrast. That’s why the characters behind the looks in our collections often challenge gendered and cultural binaries, giving presence to figures we rarely imagine. We don’t typically think about femme lumberjacks or masculine florists. But they exist. So we do our best to give them representation.
On that note, we sometimes choose to go with models who explicitly do not fit the look. Models who demonstrate something diametrically opposed to the character behind the look. Just like our roles in society are not defined by our expectations of them, the people who take those roles shouldn’t be so-defined either.
At times, we take this even further by casting models who stand in opposition to the character behind the look. Just as roles in society are not bound to the expectations placed on them, neither are the people who step into those roles on our runway.
