By Dominique Murray

“There are days that I wake up randomly at 3 AM and just begin to sketch,” Michael Lombard said, as he explained his creative process. And the crazy hours are worth it. Today, Lombard is now dominating the leather fashion world.

Growing up outside of Queens, New York, Lombard was always drawn to the passion of designing. He worked in the music industry for 32 years, owning his own record label, and always styled his own artists. “I started seeing designs and thinking, ‘I can make that.’ What I was telling myself was ‘I can draw that.’ It hit me hard when I was watching a movie and saw a leather jacket I couldn’t find anywhere. I went home, drew it, and had a manufacturer make it for me. This was near the end of 2015. I loved it so much that I kept designing.”

Although Lombard pulls inspiration from everything he sees, he admits that he loves to focus on color rather than repeating the same design. One of his modern collections that is entirely silver was inspired by the moon. “When I went to the Air and Space Museum, I saw the first lunar landing machine, which is all metallic silver. I connected the moon to that silver coating.” Lombard became obsessed with this collection, ending it with 6 total pieces.

“It’s crazy to see how far I’ve come in two years. My designs have been showcased in various fashion weeks, including LA, New York, DC, Amsterdam, Paris, and London. I even have upcoming shows in Budapest and Milan and private shows in London and Amsterdam.” He explained that his ultimate goal is to continue breaking leather design barriers and give back to the community. He recently became the COO of the World Fashion Council and has partnerships with International Fashion Weeks, London Fashion Week, and NY Fashion Week to help feature aspiring designers in runway shows. Lombard will also participate in the 2018 Swirl and Chords Fashion Show for the American Diabetes Association. “I love giving back to the community. It’s a large part of who I am.”

Lombard plans on continuing to travel and design. As a direct result from London’s Fashion Week House of iKons, he received an offer from The Archives and Showroom for his work, which gives him the opportunity to have artists such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Jennifer Lopez showcase his designs. And he wants other designers to be inspired by his work. “There was a hole in the fashion industry where leather fell. My team and I will continue to push upward so I can follow my passion.”