Leela Jacobs | Calgary’s Best Dressed 2025

by Chris Landry

Leela Jacobs wears a white button shirt, black shorts and skirt, black boots and a purse. — Photo by Jared Sych. Shirt her dad’s old gig shirt from the 1990s; shorts from a pop-up shop in L.A.; skirt reworked by Jacobs from a consignment store find; vest from Kate Hewko; brooch Officially No Fun by Patrick Moskwa; purse by Lesley Hampton with a chain added from Subject Object by Bramble Lee Pryde; boots by Tabi.

How would you describe your personal style?

My style exists in the tension between instinct and intention — grounded in stylish basics and layered with pieces I’ve made, designs from my friends, and finds from favourite shops or from my travels. It’s often wearable art, built through bold accessories and reimagined garments. If I can’t find what I’m looking for, I create it. I don’t follow trends; I construct looks.

Why is expressing your personal style important to you?

Expressing my personal style matters to me because it’s how I engage with art — through what I wear. Fashion, for me, is wearable art and a form of communication. It’s a way to show what draws me in, what fascinates me, and how my artistic taste shifts over time. I also want it to say something louder: that it’s okay to experiment, to try something different, to let your look evolve without needing permission.