We recently connected with Leon Elias Wu and have shared our conversation below.
Leon Elias, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
One of the most personal and powerful projects I’ve undertaken is the launch of ELIAS WU, a new chapter in customwear that fuses identity, artistry, and self-reclamation. This isn’t just a fashion line. It’s a return to self. After years of designing through Sharpe Suiting, I felt called to create something even more intimate. ELIAS WU is about letting go of gender rules, style expectations, and external definitions of success—and stepping fully into authenticity.
In the noise of both mainstream and social media, this is a reclamation. A reclamation of faith. A reclamation of beauty. A reclamation of truth.
What made this project especially meaningful was the world it emerged into. We launched during a time of deep social and political unrest, when expressing one’s truth—especially as someone queer and trans—can feel both urgent and vulnerable. Launched on Independence Day, the customwear debut campaign features Erin Wu, a Taiwanese-American actor, pole dancing performer, and Wushu martial artist, whose strength and grace brought the collection to life in motion. Shot in the Lancaster desert with Director of Photography Karin Busch, the experience was meditative and powerful. A reminder that fashion can be armor, expression, and a return to center.
This wasn’t just about clothes. It was about making room—for beauty in the in-between, for power in softness, for truth in motion.
It was a project I needed as much as our ever-growing collective of seekers, rebels, and reimaginers.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Leon Elias Wu. I’m a designer, creative director, and founder of Sharpe Suiting and ELIAS WU. I create fashion and lifestyle pieces that help people feel fully seen—through customwear that aligns with their identity, story, and personal style.
I came into fashion through a deeply personal lens. As a queer and trans person, I understood firsthand how powerful clothing can be when it truly fits—your body, your spirit, your narrative. That perspective led me to create Sharpe Suiting 11 years ago, a brand initially inspired by serving LGBTQ+ clients who were often overlooked or underserved in the world of fashion.
But over the years, our mission has grown.
Today, we’re rebranding and expanding our reach to serve all people—across gender and identity—who want to express themselves through intentional, elevated style. From women and men who don’t feel seen by mainstream fashion, to individuals cultivating a look that’s uniquely their own, we design with purpose, precision, and soul.
We offer made-to-measure suits, statement separates, and luxury lifestyle products that blend tailoring with self-expression. Our proprietary Andropometrics™ system allows us to fit a diverse range of body types, creating garments that feel as good as they look. We’ve dressed Hollywood red carpets, weddings, film and television talent, and everyday changemakers—always with the goal of helping our clients show up as their most authentic selves.
What sets us apart is our commitment to story-driven design. We don’t chase trends; we create garments that reflect the truth of who you are. With ELIAS WU, my latest creative direction, we’re exploring bolder silhouettes, heirloom-level craftsmanship, and an expanded lifestyle vision rooted in individuality, spiritual depth, and modern luxury.
I’m most proud when someone puts on a piece we’ve created and says, “This feels like me.” Because that moment—that alignment—is where style becomes something greater. My hope is that our work helps people feel seen, strong, and ready to move through the world with clarity and confidence.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Yes. At the heart of everything I design is a desire to understand and honor the truth of who someone is: their essence, their contradictions, their becoming.
My creative journey is driven by the belief that clothing is more than what we wear. It’s how we show up. And to design for someone, I need to see them clearly. That means holding space for both their joy and their pain. The stories that shaped them, the battles they’ve survived, the parts of themselves they’re still learning to love.
Through custom design, I help people translate that truth into form. Not to mask or conform, but to elevate. To reflect their power, vulnerability, and style in a way that feels intentional and timeless.
Whether it’s a sharply tailored suit, a hand-cut leather shoe, or a minimalist vest that reveals strength in its restraint I see design as a kind of soul work. A collaboration between their inner world and my craft. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s alignment.
That’s what drives me: helping people step into themselves more fully, and walk forward with a little more courage, elegance, and truth.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When I launched Sharpe Suiting, it felt like the stars were aligned. We were fortunate to gain significant press attention early on, and it was during a golden era of liberation. Marriage equality had just become law, and LGBTQ+ visibility was expanding, especially for the trans community. We were creating wedding suits for queer couples across the country. It felt like we were part of history, shaping what love could look like and what it could wear.
But fashion is a shifting landscape. As global politics and cultural sentiment evolved, so did the market. It forced me to step back and confront not just the business challenges but the personal ones. I made the decision to get sober. It was a quiet and profound turning point that became the catalyst for a professional transformation.
Sobriety gave me the clarity to rebuild with greater intention. I revisited the company’s mission and realized it was time to evolve. What began as a niche brand rooted in identity has matured into a refined fashion label. Today, under both Sharpe Suiting and my namesake label ELIAS WU, we serve a wider and worldly clientele. Those who value intentional design, timeless silhouettes, and the emotional intelligence behind style.
We believe real luxury isn’t just about confidence. It’s about comfort—the kind that comes from wearing something that aligns fully with who you are, no matter your background.
Resilience, for me, has meant listening carefully to the market, to my clients, and to myself. Letting go of what no longer serves and refining what does. Our garments are still vehicles for transformation, but now they’re crafted for those who understand that power can be soft, strength can be subtle, and luxury at its highest level is the quiet confidence of being at ease in your own skin.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sharpesuiting.com
- Instagram: @sharpesuiting
- Facebook: /sharpesuiting
- Other: TiKToK: sharpesuiting
Image Credits
Models: Erin Wu, Christy Willingham, Brasia Jinsoon, Nicola Ang, Emile Ennis Jr., AJ Gibson, Axel & Jess, Delaney Dekok
Photography Credits: Karin Busch, Victoria Gold, Sarah Karlan, Charlie Chipman, Rock n Roll Bride, Spice Rack.
Design by ELIAS WU – Customwear separates designed for comfort, individuality, and timeless style.