Burgeoning designer Leonie Thompson unveils introductory 9-piece Leonness
Published:Friday | August 4, 2023 | 12:09 AMShanel Lemmie/Staff Reporter
For the now 21-year-old Leonie Thompson, her love affair with fashion began long before she ever knew how to characterise it. Ever the admirer of beautiful things, a pre-pubescent Thompson would observe the fashions of both her mother and pop culture icons. It wasn’t until high school that Thompson made her first step into garment creation with what she at first thought was a menial task.
“I was very competitive in high school. During high school, you know you have to do vocational classes,” Thompson explained, “and one of mine was clothing and textile. That was in grade nine when you know you’re trying to figure out which direction you want to go.
“I remember having to choose one project for the school year, and I was like ‘No, I can do it all, I can do it all’.”
And do it all she did, because while Thompson’s classmates were choosing between whether to construct a skirt, apron or pillowcase, she was exercising her then unknown but fully present skills by doing all three.
“I guess it kinda just started from there and then I started watching like Mission Catwalk, Project Runway and other fashion shows to try and get in tune with everything.”
Now half a decade and a pending bachelor’s degree in apparel design in production and management later, Thompson is grateful to have showcased her first full collection on a professional stage.
The Mount Charles resident was one of several designers to be showcased last Sunday on the Art Walk Festival’s Fashion Ova Style.
Recalling the surreal moment, she said, “My heart. I was confident in my pieces, of course, because I know what I bring. I knew that my pieces were amazing but being that that was my first official official fashion show, my heart nearly ripped out.”
She continued, “Right before going on stage I was just trying to tell all my models ‘you’re amazing’, even while I am just freaking out. Even when I was walking on stage letting them know I was the designer, I was like ‘don’t fall, don’t trip, you’re in heels’ because I was just [like] wow. When it was over I was like ‘wow I just did that’. I don’t even know how to describe it.”
Thompson’s pieces were a part of a nine-piece collection titled Leonness. She said the collection is an ode to self-expression and individuality.
“That collection was just to say, express yourself, be who you are. Bright colours, dull colours, just all that you are. Along the way you will hear, you’re trying to look for attention or what you wear, you need to be careful or stuff like that. Society is always going to come with that so those pieces were just to say, this is how I express myself. Maybe its a bit baggy but it shows a little skin, maybe it flows but it expresses who I am and the person I am,” she explained.
Resting comfortably with blue, green and purple hues, the collection uses an intermingling of spandex, organza and denim to translate Thompson’s vision.
Coming off her biggest career high thus far, Thompson says she is hopeful this is not the end for Leonness Designs.
“I have had ups and downs throughout the years. Going forward, I hope that the opportunities I have been getting push me to the pint where I can just continue doing what I love and it will reach the right person, and the more persons it reaches my brand will continue growing. Leonness has always been a part of me and will forever be a part of me because my name means lioness, and I will never just throw away the name. Whether it is slow or not, but slow process is better than no process at all so I just want my brand to grow and people can trust me as a designer.”