Rubio Leather

“He had no idea of the scene; he just did good work.” Jorge Rubio has stepped away from his booth at BPX: The Black Party Expo and Bazaar to tell me about the origin of his Bronx-based company Rubio Leather.

The leather community had sought out his father, a tailor who had come to the U.S. from Ecuador, to fulfill requests for basic leather items like pants and military shirts. The good work, in turn, gave birth to a full-fledged leather business in the mid-1980s.

Rubio began working in his father's midtown-Manhattan shop at age 14, and although he studied Latin American and Caribbean history and culture at SUNY Albany, his skillful approach to garment construction persisted. He took over the family business in 1999. The change of hands precipitated other changes. Rubio introduced more fashion to Rubio Leather, including harnesses and cuffs. But he still has a lot in common with dad. “I’m the boring vanilla straight guy doing S+M and fetish.”

The Leap Into Leather
BPX was intended as an access point for newcomers to the genres represented by the Black Party. So I ask Rubio about the journey from layman to leatherman.

“It starts off with curiosity,” Rubio says. “No one wants to start off with expensive items. They like to grow into it.” Accessories, such as armbands, usually perform a training-wheels role. Rarely, too, will a first-time leather buyer purchase leather in basic black. Apparently an accent of color allows greener customers to think they’re taking home a fashion item rather than embracing a subculture.

One of the most positive aspects of the subculture is its democratic attitude toward physicality. All kinds of body types populate the leather scene. Rubio accommodates them with adjustable hooks and other hardware, but, he admits too, “Not everyone is off the rack, especially since these are really fitted looks.”

Rubio recommends thinking bespoke. Rack items may be customized for a 30 percent upcharge, for example. Many of the most dedicated and discerning customers -- from as far away as Europe, even -- will travel to Rubio’s Bronx studio for garments that are completely one-off. The process requires at least one fitting, and in rare cases, as many as three.

But the end result is worth the commitment of resources. Rubio says his leather gear can last as long as 25 years. So how do you care for something that just endured a night of Black Party sweat? Rubio advises to air-dry the garment, and to regularly condition it with a product like mink oil.