A Designer Obsessed with Luxury

When I was just a little boy in grade school in small town USA, I noticed that some of my other school mates were more popular than others. I wanted to be liked like them. So, I set out on a mission to figure out what was going on. I watched how these special kids talked, were they funny? Were they brighter than me? Where they better looking? Did they dress different?

Hold on... did they dress different? Yes, they did! I had stumbled onto what just might lead me to the holly grail of popularity amount my young peers! Now the first problem was I came from a modest hard working family who were not poor, but certainly not wealthy like some of my popular schoolmates. I had two things to figure out, one how to know the difference between ordinary and popular clothing and two how could my mother would ever pay for it.

One way or another though, I had to become popular. I just didn’t want to go through life being the little boy sitting in the corner that no one paid any attention to. I know, sad and selfish but, that was how I felt and thats the truth truth.

I started noticing that there were several items of dress all of the in-kids wore. The first being a shoe style called Weeguns, some called them Penny Loafers. I told my mom I would do extra chores around the house if I could get a pair. When I got my first pair, the shoe salesman said now we will give you a penny that slid into a little pouch on the front of the shoe. You could look down and see the penny. The idea was you would always have some money with you. Also a great sales gimmick. A penny actually was worth something back then. I decided I might stand out more if I put a dime in mine. I was forever taking my dimes out to buy stuff though. Funny, every time I robbed my shoes, I felt poor and unpopular until I was able to put them back.

Follow along with Leo as he candidly shares his insights on the world of interior design, luxury lifestyles, and how and why he became an Internationally acclaimed designer of Luxury Estates.