For Leo Wannasit, the founder and designer of Melbourne brand Mob Melbourne, fashion is as much about community as it is about creating clothing.
Building a Fashion Brand Inspired by Community and Identity
“A lot of my interest in fashion came from observing people and how much growth can come from community, culture, and shared experiences. Growing up, I was constantly inspired by the different perspectives people carried, the way environments, struggles, interests, and cultures shape identity differently for everyone,” explains Leo.
“That idea of individuals strengthening one another became a major foundation for the brand.”
Leo says he was also “heavily influenced by gaming growing up, especially Tekken”. “Beyond just gameplay, I was drawn to the character design and storytelling, the balance of strength and fluidity, power and individuality. Each character felt visually distinct and emotionally expressive through silhouette, movement, and styling. That had a strong impact on how I view clothing and identity today.
“Fashion eventually became the medium where all those influences could merge together. I wanted to create garments that carried emotion, structure, individuality, and transformation, clothing that felt expressive but also protective in a psychological sense.”
Leo describes himself as a fashion designer, but also as someone who is “deeply involved in the full creative process, from concept development and garment construction to visual direction and storytelling”. The brand was launched as a complete package in October, 2022.
As for the name, according to Leo, it comes from “the idea that an individual is shaped and strengthened by the people around them”.
“To me, ‘mob’ represents community, collective growth, and the exchange of perspective. Every person carries different experiences, cultures, knowledge, and ways of seeing the world. Over time, those interactions build depth within an individual and influence who they become.
“That philosophy became deeply connected to the clothing itself. I wanted the garments to reflect both individuality and collective influence, structure formed through experience, identity shaped through connection.
“Melbourne was included because the city itself played a large role in that development. The diversity, creative energy, and people around me heavily influenced the brand’s identity.
“The brand started very organically through small independent releases while I was still learning both fashion and business in real time.
“In the beginning, the pieces were much more minimal and experimental, but each release became part of the brand’s evolution. As the audience grew, the garments became more refined, more conceptual, and more aligned with the world I wanted to build creatively.
“A large part of the process was gaining real-life market experience, understanding product, visual merchandising, storytelling, community, and how people emotionally connect with clothing beyond just aesthetics,” Leo explains.
Dark Romanticism, Tailoring and Cinematic Design
Leo says that he is inspired by “designers who create emotional worlds around clothing rather than just products. Inspiration comes from fashion, cinema, gaming, music, armour, tailoring, and subculture”.
“Some inspirations include Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto, Maison Margiela, and Helmut Lang, alongside broader influences from film and character design.”
The Mob Melbourne concept is based on the “relationship between identity, transformation, and human connection”.
“A lot of the work explores how people are shaped by experience, environment, and community. The garments act as an extension of that idea, combining structure with fluidity, protection with vulnerability, and strength with emotion.
“The clothing often carries armour-like elements, layered construction, and cinematic silhouettes, but underneath that is a more human concept: growth through experience and the influence people have on one another.
“At its core, the brand is about creating pieces that feel emotionally expressive while still carrying presence and strength.”
This presence and strength can be seen in Mob Melbourne’s aesthetic; “dark romanticism mixed with contemporary tailoring and utilitarian influence”. “The aesthetic combines structured silhouettes, layered details, monochromatic palettes, and cinematic styling with a focus on emotion and atmosphere,” Leo explains.
“The brand is heavily driven by storytelling and atmosphere. Every collection is approached as part of a larger narrative rather than standalone products. My upcoming runway presentation continues that direction by exploring themes of emotional armour, identity, transformation, and human connection through fashion.”
Creating Slow Fashion with an Emotional Connection
Mob Melbourne also focuses on “intentional production rather than mass consumption” as part of its sustainable positioning.
“A strong emphasis is placed on slower releases, long-term wearability, careful sampling, and producing pieces designed to exist beyond trend cycles. The goal is to create garments people keep and connect with over time.
“Long term, I want to continue expanding the brand into a fully immersive creative world through runway, film, digital experiences, accessories, and physical spaces. The goal is to enter more retail spaces and build something internationally recognised while maintaining a strong artistic identity.”
For more information and to shop Mob Melbourne, go to mobmelbourne.com and follow the brand at @mobmelbourne