Abandoned Building Spotlight: The Lebow Clothing Factory
I explored Baltimore’s abandoned Lebow Clothing Factory in November 2009. A throwback to America’s industrial past, the factory was built in the 1930's and manufactured the high-end Lebow Clothes label which was best known for its men's suits and sportscoat collection. At its peak in the 50's and 60's, it employed several thousand blue-collar workers. It closed its doors in 1985.
In all the abandoned buildings I’ve explored, I have never been in a factory with so much left behind. There were so many coats that, despite being closed for 25 years, the factory was a continual jacket source for the local homeless population. But not for them to wear - for them to make beds out of! Students from the nearby art school would routinely raid the factory for art supplies!
It wasn’t just jackets that were left behind. Every supply you could hope for to make jackets, from sewing machines to patterns to unopened rolls of fabric to labels - it was all there. Barely touched since 1985.
Once of my favourite, and most mysetrious, discoveries were ‘Kilgore Trout’ clothing labels. If you’re a fan of Kurt Vonnegut Jr’s writing you’ll know why. Kilgore Trout, an eccentric science-fiction writer, is a reoccurring character in Vonnegut’s novels. As it’s not a particularly common name, one can only assume either the character is named after the clothing line or vice-versa. There’s no way it’s a coincidence. But in all my research I’ve never found a link between the two!! If you somehow know the connection please mention it in the comments!!
This was a phenomenal place to explore. I wish I could go back with a better camera and shoot about a thousand more photos but in 2013 it was redeveloped and is now the Baltimore Design School. They did a lovely job with it (words you won’t often see me say about redevelopments) but I can’t look at the photos of the new facility without feeling pangs of sadness. The factory was a beautiful, rotted time-capsule that transported me to another world. It was a joy to explore and a poignant symbol of a lost American dream. But, as Vonnegut would say, so it goes.
