LAD/ Powered By Art Comes First
LAD/
Building an International Menswear House
From brand identity and collection development to international production, press positioning and an official Paris Fashion Week® debut.
Photographers:
Niklas Nyman
Derek Boateng
Overview
Art Comes First partnered with LAD/ to help shape and develop the brand as a contemporary international menswear house.
Working closely with founder Ladislas Mande, ACF has led the fashion creative direction, brand development, collection design, product development, campaign creation, production strategy and international positioning of LAD/.
The partnership has focused on translating the founder’s personal and cultural vision into a clear brand identity, recognisable design language and commercially credible fashion proposition.
From developing the brand’s collections and establishing production relationships in Italy and Japan to securing international press and presenting LAD/ on the official Paris Fashion Week® calendar, ACF has supported the brand from concept through execution and market entry.
CLIENT
LAD/
FOUNDER
Ladislas Mande
PARTNERSHIP
2025–Present
INDUSTRY
Luxury Menswear
LOCATION
Paris · London · Italy · Japan · Abidjan · New York
SERVICES
Brand Strategy · Fashion Creative Direction · Collection Design · Product Development · Production Management · Campaign Direction · Styling · Press Positioning · Market Development
The Opportunity
LAD/ began with a strong cultural point of view and an ambition to build a distinctive menswear brand with international relevance.
The opportunity was to create the complete fashion structure needed to transform that vision into a long-term business.
This required more than the design of individual garments. It involved defining the brand’s identity, establishing its creative DNA, developing commercially viable collections, building an international production network, creating campaign and communication assets, and positioning the brand within the global fashion industry.
ACF’s role was to help develop LAD/ as a credible fashion house rather than a short-term clothing project.
Our Role
Brand Strategy & Identity
ACF worked with LAD/ to define the brand’s purpose, positioning and long-term direction.
This included:
Clarifying the brand narrative
Developing a recognisable design language
Establishing the visual and cultural identity
Defining the relationship between heritage, contemporary tailoring and global menswear
Positioning LAD/ within the premium international fashion market
Building a foundation for long-term brand growth
Fashion Creative Direction
ACF leads the fashion creative direction of LAD/, translating the brand vision into collections, campaigns and presentations.
This includes:
Collection concepts
Seasonal narratives
Silhouette development
Tailoring direction
Colour and fabrication strategy
Styling
Collection presentation
Campaign direction
Lookbook direction
Visual storytelling
Collection Design & Product Development
ACF has supported the development of LAD/ collections from initial concept through sampling and production.
This includes:
Product and collection architecture
Garment design
Fabric and trim sourcing
Sample development
Fittings and revisions
Technical development
Supplier coordination
Production planning
Quality control
Final collection delivery
The collections have been developed through an international network of specialist manufacturers and suppliers, including production relationships in Italy and Japan.
Campaigns & Visual Communication
ACF directed and produced the visual presentation of LAD/ through campaign imagery, lookbooks, styling and editorial storytelling.
The objective was to create a consistent visual identity that could communicate the brand across:
Press
Retail
Wholesale
Social media
Fashion Week
Showrooms
International markets
