Love & Belonging: Remembering Edward Leaman

“You can only do who you are; so, the question is: who are you?”

Nowhere, perhaps, were his implementation skills more appreciated than California Closets. Relocating to the US, he joined the San Francisco Bay company in the mid-nineties as an Executive Vice President and oversaw a period of transformative growth. He also founded a consulting company he named Growers & Nomads (another “Edwardism”) where he worked for many years until he returned to California Closets during the pandemic as Chief Brand Officer. “Edward was an artist of ideas, and he embodies the truest values of the company,” wrote California Closets’ CEO Charlie Chase in a letter to the company. “Perhaps the best way to speak of our love for Edward and his steadfast love for so many of his colleagues is to recall one of favorite quotes by Pablo Picasso, which reads ‘The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’”

Among his many gifts, Edward cherished teaching. As an educator, he held the position of Chair and Professor of Design at the California College of the Arts, where he co-founded the fashion department. He also taught at Stanford University in California and St. Martin’s in London, as well as the Green MBA program at Dominican University in California. He imparted his gifts in an unconventional style by gathering his students in a circle and employing the Socratic method that ignited a lively brainstorming. Whether in the classroom or on the job, he created a safe environment to cultivate brave ideas. “Go for it,” he’d tell students and colleagues alike: “Take the risk. Make a mistake. Fail!” Then he would add after a pause: “Because here’s a little secret. There is a net, and I will catch you.”

“You can only do who you are; so, the question is: who are you?”

Without question, Edward Leaman was a devoted family man, an unwaveringly devoted father, husband, and beloved friend and mentor to so many. Home was where his heart was, the citadel for family.

Those same themes were critical to his second stint at California Closets. During the pandemic, the company he helped build suffered new challenges in the marketplace where competitive brands screamed for attention. Edward worked with his team to go deeper, ultimately developing what he dubbed “The Brand of Belonging”. To implement that goal, he oversaw the development of an award-winning, annual magazine “Ideas of Order”—its name taken from a line from a Wallace Stevens poem. Edward believed that the calming strength of an organized life–surrounded by the people and belongings they love– could transmit good and grace to a chaotic world.

Perhaps the most revolutionary embodiment of this groundbreaking brand- building was a small book titled All of You, which was a gift to customers and prospects alike and never mentioned the company’s name, nary a nod to the primary product closets. In an article in Forbes in 2023, Edward explained his thinking behind the concept. “On rare occasions when you are invited to a Japanese home, the guest always brings a gift saying “tsumaranai mono desu” (it’s a boring little nothing” ), he recalled. “It’s not a boring little nothing. It’s a moment of grace, and gratitude and my privilege to be invited across the threshold of that home.”

Edward Leaman knew who he was. . . This knowledge was the key to his success personally and professionally. He will be deeply missed and leaves a legacy that will forever live on in the hearts and work of those who knew and admired him.

Edward is survived by his cherished wife, Andrea Tremblay Leaman; beloved sons, Solomon and Milo; dearest stepchildren Daniel, Ethan and Aviv; his dear brother Charles Leaman; first wife Francesca Harris; nephews, Philip and Ruth; and cousins Stephanie and Elizabeth.

– Submitted by Edward’s friends and colleagues