Senegalese-Canadian, Aissatou Leye is the brain Toronto-based fashion archive, 416_fits. In this profile, she leads us through her motivations, inspirations and hopes for the future of her platform.
local·global: As someone with Senegalese roots who grew up in Toronto, can you share a bit about your roots and how they influence your perspective on fashion?
Aissatou Leye: Fashion is really thoroughly embedded in Senegalese culture so it comes to no surprise that it has such a profound influence on how I approach it. When I was little, I hadn’t yet completely grasped the talent and rich culture that existed in Senegal. I, of course, had been surrounded and exposed to aspects of my culture at home as well as through travelling back to Dakar every few years. Nevertheless, due to this distance there was still a disconnect. As I get older, I take more pride in being Senegalese - it’s a really special aspect of my identity.
While Toronto is diverse overall, I did grow up being the only or one of a few Black people. And that’s why I think community is so important and empowering. You feel less alone and seen, for once. It completely changes your perspective and gives you a newfound confidence within yourself.
LGW: What inspired you to start 416fits, and how did you come up with the concept of documenting street style in Toronto?
AL: I like to think it was an accident *laughs* It all started in September of 2021, I was on my way to work and saw this wonderful lady who had such a fabulous outfit. I stopped to give her a compliment, we spoke for a bit together, and parted ways. I left that conversation so refreshed and energized. Like, “Wow that was such a cool outfit/interaction”. By the time I got to work I felt the details fleeing my mind as I described the outfit to my then coworker.
From then on I told myself whenever I see a cool outfit I will ask to take a photo so I never forget the details. After a couple of months I had over 50 photos, and so I decided to post them on Instagram just to share. I really didn’t have specific intentions, especially growth-related ones. At first I didn’t even tag people, because I was simply focused on the outfits themselves. As more people discovered the account, others began to find their friends in the comments. I had done a Q&A pretty early on, maybe at like 100 followers, and many people suggested that I tag the people I meet, so I did. The growth was really facilitated through word of mouth and that’s why I believe the community is so strong!
*Fun fact the original name was @fitsoftoronto but I went with @416_fits as it was shorter and catchier.
LGW: How do you engage with the local fashion community, and what kind of response have you received from your audience, both locally and globally?
AL:Typically through Instagram. I think it’s really easy to discover people and find events and using stories to see what’s happening in the city. That accessibility allows for more people to be connected with less barriers.
Globally, I would say I engage mainly through my TikTok account, I believe it’s here that I have the most reach, other than my personal Instagram account. Overall, in terms of response it is all so positive. I am very fortunate to receive so little hate, haha. My favourite thing to hear is that people have learnt something from what I post. It’s so fun to know I get to contribute even slightly to people’s knowledge of fashion/books/magazines.
LGW: Can you share a memorable moment or a particular street style feature on 416fits that stands out to you?
AL: There was this lovely person who I met in May of 2023. I remember I was coming home from work super tired. I absolutely loved their outfit, so I went up to ask if I could take some photos. To my surprise, they started freaking out with joy, explaining to me how long they had waited for this moment to happen. It was really special to me because it really showed how far I had come. That so many people were aware of my presence or even my existence in the city honestly had me stunned. It was a really sweet and genuine interaction I’ll never forget. To be in the thoughts of so many people is such an intimate thing that I still can’t get over.
LGW: What are your long-term goals for yourself as a creator, and your platform - 416_fits?
AL: I think long term I really just want to keep exploring, and stay in touch with my curiosity. I’m so young and still learning, so my hope is that for any future opportunities, they authentically align with my personal ethos/morals as much as possible. Things are constantly changing, so I'm not too set on what I would like to achieve just yet. For me it’s more exciting to simply be part of projects that I’m truly passionate about or getting to work with my friends. Nevertheless, I will say, it is a dream of mine to work with Grace Wales Bonner, but we shall see what the future holds.
As for 416_fits, just more in-person events and getting to interact with those I meet with, less briefly. Not too sure what that will look like in the coming years but I look forward to it!
Maybe I’ll make a website this year, we’ll see. I have honestly been quite busy with university and internships so the future of 416_fits has been a little less top of mind for me with the chaos of my personal life haha. I’d definitely like to release a book in 10 years shhhh…hahaha.
LGW: How do you envision the platform evolving in the coming years?
AL: To be quite honest, what I like most about 416_fits is its simplicity. You look at the outfits, and that’s it. There have been moments where I have thought about doing street interviews. But with time I realized how uncomfortable that would be both for me, and for most unassuming strangers I meet on the street. There’s also way more room for biases to take over, and for hate to arise in comments. Instead of people focusing on the person’s fit, they may begin to critique the way they speak, etc. I’m truly proud to say that I’ve created a positive space and I’d like to keep it that way.
I do think something that would be cool is making zines focusing on specific themes that intrigue me. For instance, a zine surrounding work uniforms in the city, or perhaps solely dedicated to shoes I see. To be completely candid, I’m just happy with where I’m at, and if not much changes that’s also okay with me : )
LGW: What motivates and drives you to continue your work? Are there specific messages or themes you hope to explore through your platform?
AL: What motivates me is community. It makes me so excited that I’ve been able to facilitate conversations surrounding fashion in such a positive way. To see comments of others hyping others up always makes me so happy! Otherwise I think that diversity is a driving force behind my work. There genuinely are not enough people who look like me [in the space] and I think if I can at any capacity participate in opening doors or making younger Black girls feel capable of pursuing their interests then that’s all I could hope for honestly.
To learn more about Aissatou and her platform, follow her at @aissatou_04 and @416_fits
