Who is Mr. Limo?
He is the LimoLand mascot. I like to think of him as the most elegant
limo driver in the world. Unfortunately, he’s not a very nice man.
He has no patience and hates traffic jams. He is also a bit of a snob -
he does not like driving people who are rude, or who smoke or drink in
his limo. If you do anything he doesn’t approve of, he will very
promptly throw you out. If you don’t love the music on his iPod, don’t
even bother getting in.
Why did you choose him?
I have very long legs and I hate driving anything unless it’s a boat or
an ATV in the jungle. I like to sit in the back of a car, where I
can look out the window, answer my emails on my IPad, or hold hands with
a pretty girl. And I felt that Mr. Limo had a very fun and interesting
face. I liked that he looks so different from a “pretentious” polo
player or a “menacing” crocodile.
If he’s a limo driver, shouldn’t LimoLand be making suits?
Well, limo drivers still have to wear suits and, if possible,
hats. But Mr. Limo’s clients, like ours, are rock stars,
architects, movie stars, artists—they’re creative people who never have
to wear suits. The only exception is when they go to the Oscars,
and even then they cannot wait to take off their bowties the minute they
leave. So for the time being, LimoLand will only make clothes
that are comfortable yet elegant and fun.
How did you decide to start making clothes?
I have always been interested in fashion, and in my earlier days I was a
dandy and had all my clothes made to measure on Savile Row. I
would be tremendously upset if my trousers were not perfectly ironed or
my jacket had creases. But now I am much more relaxed.
Before I started LimoLand, I mainly bought my clothes in Harlem, where I
found clothing my size (XXL or XXXL) in fun colors.
What was the first piece you designed?
The first piece I designed was a hoodie. I find hoodies very
comfortable. They’ve definitely replaced the blazers and tweed jackets
that my father used to wear. They’re also great to travel with and
great for walking around the house and in the street.
Tell us about the fabrication of the clothes.
The clothes are now made mainly in Peru, where we have found some
sensational factories that can produce great pima cotton polo shirts and
hoodies. But we are always looking for the next “best place” to
make clothes. Any ideas?
Why all the bright colors?
It would be much easier to just make black, brown and beige
clothes. But I do not see the world in black and white and
beige. I find colors incredibly important. Bringing in a few
colors can liven up anyone’s day. I was also influenced by my dear
old friend Ettore Sottsass, who loved putting colors in all his
furniture and designs and was one of the greatest architects of the 20th
century. I am also very influenced by the colors of my
contemporary African and Japanese art collections.
Who wears these clothes?
Usually they’re creative people: architects, artists, comedians, actors,
advertisers, designers. I do not expect many accountants or
criminal lawyers to wear LimoLand in the office. But I do think
that on the weekends even CPAs want to get outside their day-to-day and
wear LimoLand clothes.
What sets LimoLand apart from other brands?
I really feel that LimoLand brings happiness to people. There are plenty
of crazy and colorful clothes being made for kids, but often people
over 30 who wear clothes like that look quite ridiculous. That is
the market I am interested in. I want to make clothes for men, and
eventually women, who are not teenagers but still feel young at heart.
How can I follow Mr. Limo’s adventures?
Please follow Mr. Limo on Twitter.
