Where Ai-Powered Tech Meets Denim Authenticity
Exhibitor Insight: Chatting with Les Mains Bleues’ JB Legouge + Brett Reynolds
Brett Reynolds has been attending Kingpins since the early days in New York, when he worked with Japanese denim specialist Bobby Tohma, the owner of Ideablue/Amhot Holdings. Brett hadn’t been to an Amsterdam show until earlier this year, when he brought a new market research tool called the Trend Engine+ to the Jeanius Hub, Kingpins’ new area for innovation. He has worked with denim brands/retailers such as Toms, Birdwell, Columbia and A&F, but these days he’s Vice President of Les Main Bleues — LMB — a recently launched denim sourcing solution under the umbrella of sourcing giant Li & Fung.
“I exhibited at the first Kingpins Show, which was held at an art gallery in SoHo,” Brett said. “I was there with Bobby — he’s a legend in denim — and I fell in love with the whole scene: the personal touch of Kingpins and the sense of community. So many of the same people who were there back in 2004 still come to the show today. These are the people who can appreciate what LMB is bringing to the denim industry.”
At LMB, Brett works closely with LMB Director JB Legouge, a 20+-year denim veteran with deep product and sourcing experience gained with L i& Fung, as well as big brands such as PVH and VF Corp.
Brett and LMB will be back at Kingpins this month at the New York show at Basketball City (As will Ideablue’s Bobby Tohma, who is showing in the Made in Japan section of the show.)
To get a little insight into LMB’s Trend Engine+, how it can help denim makers research and plan their collections and how LMB fits into the Li & Fung universe, we caught up with JB to ask a few questions:
At Kingpins Amsterdam, Les Mains Bleues introduced its Trend Engine, an Ai-driven tool that provides comprehensive market intelligence for LMB partners. Walk me through how LMB partners are using the Trend Engine. For example, are designers using it at the beginning of the design process? What are some of the benefits?
JB: Built within the Li & Fung Group, LMB’s Trend Engine+ is redefining how denim brands create collections. This proprietary, AI-powered platform doesn’t just track what’s trending — it continuously decodes shifting consumer moods and uncovers the white spaces no one else sees. From the earliest sketches to final line reviews, designers and merchants rely on Trend Engine+ to validate ideas, build confident assortments, and move faster with precision. It’s more than a tool — it’s a competitive advantage proven to drive higher full-price sell-through, protect margins, and anticipate sustainability-driven shifts in consumer demand.
The Trend Engine is just one part of LMB’s offerings. Tell me about how the company helps companies plan and execute their denim sourcing.
JB: Trend Engine+ is only part of the story. At its heart, LMB is a denim sourcing powerhouse built for brands that expect more. We operate a truly vendor-direct model anchored in deep, vertically integrated partnerships across key production regions. This gives our customers a rare blend of agility, consistency, and scale, without compromising on creativity or compliance. From fit perfection to rigorous chemical compliance and traceability, LMB embeds seamlessly into our partners’ calendars and workflows. We don’t just supply denim; we help brands bring their signature vision to life, faster, smarter, and with a lighter footprint.
Technology seems to be central to LMB’s mission. Are there other supply chain solutions in the works specific to denim production?
JB: Technology isn’t an add-on for us — it’s the backbone of how we work. Beyond Trend Engine+, we’re investing in next-generation platforms for live production tracking, predictive costing, and dynamic capacity planning, all designed to deliver more visibility and accountability. Several of these tools integrate sustainability metrics and compliance verification in real-time, allowing brands to track progress against their environmental goals as products move through the supply chain. While some initiatives remain confidential, our mission is clear: to set a new benchmark in transparency, responsibility, and speed.
LMB is backed by global sourcing giant Li & Fung. How does LMB fit into the Li & Fung operation (i.e. does it operate independently? Does LMB essentially serve as Li & Fung’s denim experts?)
JB: As Li & Fung’s specialized denim innovation arm, LMB pairs the group’s global reach with a singular focus on denim and woven bottoms. This combination, massive scale paired with a boutique category obsession, positions us as the denim center of excellence, trusted by some of the world’s most forward-thinking brands. Backed by Li & Fung’s infrastructure and decades of sourcing leadership, LMB is reshaping what’s possible in denim, combining innovation and sustainability to help brands lead the next era.
