LTHR Lover

 may be known for, well, its denim. But over the past three ye ars, Johan Lindeberg has built up a finely tuned collection of duds tailored to the downtown set. Vampy bohemian skirts, effortless T-shirts, smart blazers, and laid-back blouses have all become favorites. However, his leather jackets are a particular highlight. “They’re a very important part of our DNA,” said Lindeberg. Enter BLK DNM’s latest endeavor: Leather Project X. “X means collaboration,” explained the designer when asked about the name. With whom, you might wonder, is he collaborating? His customers. 

Today, Lindeberg launches a permanent custom leather-jacket station at his downtown New York flagship, where shoppers will be able to pick from a kaleidoscopic array of styles, leathers, and trims. For instance, you could finish a cropped silver-foiled lambskin biker with a shearling collar, top off a navy shorthair sheepskin pilot jacket with an electric blue croc-embossed back, embellish a reflective green lambskin look with purple goat hair…you get the idea. 

Aside from the fact that they’re some of BLK DNM’s hottest-selling items, Lindeberg has a personal connection with leather toppers that stems from his childhood. “I bought my first leather jacket in Copenhagen when I was thirteen. It was a brown pilot style. And I actually shortened it myself after I brought it home,” he recalled. 

The jackets—two versions of which debut above in Lindeberg-lensed images of model and The Wolverine star Rila Fukushima—are all made here in New York and range between $2,500 and $3,000. The project will roll out at BLK DNM’s international boutiques this month, and Lindeberg plans to launch an online version, as well as an iPhone app, later this year.

BLK DNM is located at 237 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012.