Sailing Wear: Life on Water
Leo Dean burst onto the sailing scene with its line of luxury high-performance sailing wear at the start of 2023. Seeking to fill a gap in the market for performance clothing that can stand up to the demands of the ocean as well as give the wearer a chic style that looks at-home on the dock and around the town, the company’s founders turned to Italian tailoring for their answer.
Leo Dean was founded by Tomas Dean and Oliver Beach, two friends who share a passion for yachting and high-end style.
“Leo Dean was created to unite the technical requirements of performance sailing wear with comfort, practicality, and an elegant, tailored look. The brand represents all that yachting encompasses; freedom, escapism, and all the joys of life on water,” begins Dean. “We wanted to capture the glamour of the riviera lifestyle, the bohemian existence, and enjoying life as if there was no tomorrow,” adds Beach.
As many water enthusiasts would appreciate, summers for Tomas and Oliver always were, and still are, spent sailing with family and friends. Having grown up in Switzerland and the UK respectively, lake sailing was a big part of their youth. Since then, the pair have sailed in all four corners of the globe – and agree that the Italian Riviera and South Pacific are firm favourites. And, although idyllic, the pair always felt that something was missing from their sailing experiences.
“We never had anything nice to wear!” says Dean. “Our interest in encapsulating all the perfect things about sailing, and our frustration in not being able to find suitable garments to wear while doing so, is what led us to launch the Leo Dean line.” Tomas graduated from the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design in London, studies which played an important role in bringing his vision to life.
The Founders - Oliver Beach and Tomas Dean
“Existing sailing wear brands did not seem to be providing garments that were fashionable, and not just obvious technical wear,” says Beach. “There are many high-end, luxury clothing brands that have a resort, riviera or ski collection, but none of those focus on yachting.”
Together, they began creating clothing with modern, high-tech fabrics that are practical, high-performing, comfortable and elegant. “The idea is that anything from Leo Dean can be worn on board while at the helm as well as to the five-star restaurant ashore,” summarises Beach.
To design the garments, the Leo Dean founders recruited a team in Italy. “What we have achieved in terms of quality and tailoring is being compared to the likes of the top high-fashion houses. We have full trust in our team, and together we’ve created a beautiful collection that is everything we, and other yachties, want and need,” says Dean.
The first collection has been carefully designed to create a capsule wardrobe that caters for both men and women, and showcases the brand’s exquisite attention to detail. Pieces include a windproof, tailored gilet, trousers and shorts in breathable fabric that’s reinforced for yachting use, and a selection of tops and jackets. Created sustainably with minimised environmental impact in a range of unique colours, the technical fabrics used are traditionally successful and suitable for sailing but are still stylish enough for the lifestyle associated with luxury yachting.
With the performance of technical sailing wear, the quality of high-end garment fabrication, the style of the most desirable lifestyle brands, and the brand appeal of the most iconic names in fashion, Leo Dean has you dressed for life on water.