Premium athletic wear. Made in Canada. Source: Reigning Champ
I’ve seen Reigning Champ apparel over the years. When I ran Sho-Shot, I held the license, but the company was owned by a guy from Vancouver, I heard about a new startup and considered reaching out. I never did because the Sho-Shot license was pulled back and the owner transitioned it into a molded injection shoe company. That’s not the point. I would see RC in my search but hadn’t been moved to try the brand until I saw the most recent Drop 1.
The Older Sneakerhead
While sneaker brands are making understated, simple styles, the apparel carries the logo making it difficult to be a sneaker fan who rocks a variety of kicks. My rotation as an older sneakerhead ranges from adidas, to Clarks, to Merrell, to Under Armour, to Nike, to Karhu, with Converse Pro Leathers, Red Ball Jets and COMUNITYmade in the mix. I see a lot of older sneakerheads, who have more kicks than younger guys, trapped in their Polo days. I also see them wearing apparel that isn’t quite age appropriate.
While RC fell off of my radar, they reappeared via a collaboration with adidas. That collection featured Primeknit. It was intriguing because the material had only been utilized on sneakers. I wrote several posts, but they were focused more on adi than RC and ultimately in the marketing I didn’t see myself, so I passed.
adidas Athletics x Reigning Champ Unveil First Collection Featuring Primeknit
After seeing a post by Gemo Wong on LinkedIn, I took a moment to revisit the site and I realized the blend of apparel I’ve begun rocking from companies like Taylor Stitch and Outerknown had an upscale athletic opponent. Reigning Champ features textures, cuts and the subtle lines which allow me to play it cool or it allows me to choose a pair of kicks which bring the entire look together.
An Overlooked Demo
Youth culture dominates Complex, YouTube and Sneaker Dialogue, but there is a slowly growing segment allowing for brands like Fear of God, ALD and KITH to share closet space with streetwear brands. Reigning Champ sits in the pocket like Questlove. With the culture beginning to settle down and diversify (closets, ages and class), it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at RC.