Tio participates in International Mister Leather 2023

With his leather pants, cap and boots, Tio Lelieveld from Den Bosch shone on stage in Chicago. The former Mr. Leather Netherlands took part in the International Mister Leather 2023 there. “There was more than enough leather to see”, he says happily.

Tio has just had the time of his life when we speak to him. During the competition in America he was allowed to represent our small Netherlands. “It was great. Really great fun,” he says with a big smile on his face. “I was on a huge stage in a very large hall. I only had to stand on stage for a moment, smell it and I immediately knew that the entire audience consisted of men in leather. That’s great.”

De Bosschenaar was allowed to participate in the competition, because he was Mister Leather Netherlands last year. “Last year I went all over Europe and went through all the prides. I worked hard for the community. And then you step up and you end up here, where you get to know a lot of other Misters from around the world. Then you really feel part of the whole community. That’s a great feeling.”

“I want to change the image people have of men in leather.”

It didn’t become first place for Tio, but he doesn’t mind that at all. “If I had won, it would have been a drama. Then I would have had to travel all over the world, I don’t have the time or money for that,” he says with a laugh. Tio came 24th out of 54 participants. “That’s great for someone from the small Netherlands. What more could you want? I’m satisfied.”

The leather lover is especially happy that he was able to do something for his community. “I hope to be able to collaborate a lot with my new contacts. I want to change the image people have of men in leather. It is often thought that those men are scary, dirty or weird. But that is not the case. We are a very good community .”

Tio is held in high esteem in Chicago
Tio is held in high esteem in Chicago

READ ALSO: Tio prefers to walk completely in leather and is Mr. Leather: ‘We are not scary’

ttn-32