photo by steed media service
Creative Director and Brand Strategist, Leaders 1354
Behind every good business plan is a good businessman. Since its inception in 2002, Leaders 1354 has become one of the most respected street wear boutiques in the Midwest, and much of their success can be traced back to Vic Lloyd.
Contrary to popular belief, Lloyd is not the owner of the Chicago-based clothing brand. As the creative director and brand strategist, the fashion junkie and budding deejay admits that he is a major part of Leaders, but says ownership is not in his job description. “My job is to creatively direct and market Leaders, so hence, I’m the face of Leaders,” Lloyd says.
Lloyd splits his time between Leader’s two Windy City locations, producing company events, deejaying parties and developing new designs for the Leaders Home and Away and the forthcoming Vic Lloyd collections. As businesses across the country struggle with the economy, part of Leaders’ ability to stay strong has been Lloyd’s knack for finding and bringing new designers and brands to the forefront.
“[For] a lot of brands out here — we were one of [the] first or second stores that picked them in the country, not just in Chicago,” he says.
The man with a myriad of titles is just a humble guy who’d rather spend hours talking about fashion than 30 seconds trying to sell a product. “I kind of have to be somebody you wouldn’t mind spending a couple of hours talking to,” he says. “We don’t want to be a store, we’re a family. That’s our philosophy — stay family [and] stay connected with our consumer.” –gavin philip godfrey
