The World of Byas & Leon

Some spaces sell products. Others shape how people gather, express themselves, and connect. Byas & Leon sits in that second category.

Byas & Leon didn’t begin as a typical fashion story. In 2012, Harvey Leon was studying engineering, and Rony Byas Jr. was running his family’s mattress factory. What brought them together was a shared curiosity around apparel and a deeper commitment to
producing it ethically in Haiti, where their roots trace back.

Seven years later, that idea took physical form with the opening of The Byas & Leon Shoppe in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn. What they built went beyond clothing. The space became a community fixture from two friends from Brooklyn and Queens.

The founders, Harvey Leon and Rony Byas Jr. describe their work as cultural entrepreneurship. They build environments where people can exchange ideas and create together. That approach shows up clearly in the space itself. Alongside curated vintage and handmade goods, the shop hosts programs and gatherings that invite people in, not just as customers, but as participants.

The early foundation of the brand stretches back to 2013, when Byas & Leon produced garments in Haiti with a focus on fair wages. As the company evolved, so did its direction. Opening the Brooklyn shop in 2019 marked a shift. The offering expanded to include vintage, zero-waste brands, and locally made pieces. The space also became a hub for conversation, collaboration, and cultural exchange.

Fashion still plays a role, but it is part of a larger picture. Harvey explained to us that their clothing has always been tied to identity. It is one of the first ways people learn to present themselves to the world. That awareness sharpened in his teenage years, exploring SoHo and studying style firsthand.

But the foundation goes back even further. “Cartoons, man,” he says, laughing. A steady diet of animation, science fiction, and fantasy novels shaped how he saw the world early on. It expanded his sense of what was possible. Before anything else, Harvey wanted to be a cartoonist. That was the first path he shared with his teachers and family. The idea of creating something from nothing stayed with him and you can still feel it in the way the work is approached. There’s a sense of imagination behind it all.

Despite years in the industry, Byas & Leon has never produced or participated in a traditional fashion show. It’s not from lack of opportunity, but more about alignment. The invitations have come, but the intent behind them hasn’t always matched how they move. Building one on their own has crossed their minds, but never strongly enough to force it. For now, they’re comfortable letting that part of the industry pass by until it feels right.

Balancing creativity, sustainability, marketing, and commerce is something Harvey speaks about honestly. There’s no clean formula. The business includes second-hand and thoughtfully sourced goods, which naturally supports sustainability, but those pieces still need to be presented, communicated, and shared in a way that reaches people. Marketing becomes the bridge, and revenue follows. But none of it is fixed. It shifts, adjusts, and evolves over time. What remains consistent is where it all begins—thinking about how people should feel in a given moment, and building outward from there.

That steady growth has not gone unnoticed. On Haitian Flag Day 2026, Harvey and Rony, will receive a proclamation from Chi Ossè, recognizing their cultural contributions to the Bed-Stuy community. It’s a milestone that reflects years of work that has always extended beyond the product itself.

At the center of it all is a perspective that continues to guide their journey. A quote which Harvey returns to often: 

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
– Howard Thurman

At its core, Byas & Leon is about connection. Not just through what people wear, but through the experiences they share and the communities they help shape.