St. Louis apparel maker Leonard Stewart Jr. drapes and hand-stitches garments under his label SSTEW3, a futuristic look he dubs high-fashion streetwear. The work has earned him a collection showcase with the creator of Harlem’s Fashion Row, a forthcoming collaboration with Rent the Runway, and the attention of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s stylists.
The name, explained
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SSTEW3 (pronounced Stew-three) is a theoretical chemical formula.
A local streetwear fave
Pictured below is a sweatshirt from War Ready. “They’re kind of the first ones to take off with [St. Louis] streetwear fashion,” Stewart says.
A favorite design
“The coat just has so much volume to it,” Stewart says. “I really freestyled it. I didn’t even create a pattern, I was just draping it. It’s something that looks futuristic but also has a purpose.” The coat is in Los Angeles with stylists Mackenzie Grandquist and Alexandra Rose Grandquist, and Stewart has his fingers crossed that it’ll soon make its début on one of their clients, which include Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott.
Why he creates women’s clothing
“It’s much more versatile. They can wear masculine things, more feminine things, no pants or pants,” Stewart says. “You can have a lot more fun.”
Designers he admires
Locally, it’s Michael Shead. Nationally, Rick Owens. “Of course, Kanye,” Stewart says, “even though people really try to flex on him and say he is not doing a good job. But if you look at [Yeezy] season eight, that was fire.”
One outfit staple
Stewart collects shoes, most often Jordans. A prized favorite: his winged sneakers from the Jeremy Scott x Adidas collection.
On his next collection
“I’m going into utopia,” he says, “so everything will be white, heavenly for summertime.” Expect sheer pants, knit dresses, and dramatic sleeves that reach to the floor.
