The Blue Jays hat has been the go-to staple for countless Canadians over the years, but another hat has also become synonymous with the city of Toronto in recent years, The Legends League’s “LL” New Era hats.
In 2008, Bryan Espiritu launched his first clothing brand, IDEALL (Inspiration Driven Esthetic Apparel by The Legends League), and it grew in popularity over the years, evolving into The Legends League brand that we know and love today. People of Toronto have come to love the artist’s creation, from New Era hats with his logos to his Canadian-manufactured sweatshirts and t-shirts.
The story of Bryan and the evolution of The Legends League is truly inspiring, as his followers have been able to watch both him and the brand grow through social media and word of mouth. His pop-up shops became increasingly popular, with his dedicated followers forming massive lines throughout the city of Toronto. These pop-ups were always uniquely executed, whether they were out of the back of a truck or in an alleyway.
When The Legends League flagship store opened on Camden Street just off of Spadina Avenue, it meant a lot to the streetwear community in Toronto. We have seen countless brands come and go, but this brand was able to persevere and succeed through Bryan’s relentless determination. It wasn’t an overnight success, it was the culmination of years of hard work that he put in.
It wasn’t just The Legends League that continued to grow, Bryan and his craft grew alongside the brand. It wasn’t just apparel and accessories that he used as creative outlets, he continued to make artwork and his art became a part of the city. His work can be seen on Nike Basketball’s Face of the Fans piece of DeMar DeRozan, at the Budweiser Stage on the portrait of Jack Johnson, and at Toronto’s Jordan store at 306 Yonge Street.
Bryan continued to connect with his audience through social media and continuously interacted with them through Twitter and Instagram. His supporters grew day by day and he decided to show his appreciation by offering custom artwork done with his ESPIRITUSUCKS design, available at The Legends League shop by appointment only. This opportunity allowed for those digital interactions to come to life and further strengthened the bond that he has with his audience.
In addition to everything that he was working on, he began using Twitter as his platform to express three daily thoughts titled, “3 Things”. These daily tweets quickly grabbed the attention of his audience and it grew to something even bigger, a book. The 3 Things book is described by Bryan as “A Collection of Daily Reminders” and the pre-order for the first copies sold out on The Legends League online shop.
Bryan Espiritu has shown what is possible for a creative individual from Canada through the evolution that he has displayed over the years. From creating apparel and accessories for his streetwear brand to publishing his own book, Bryan is broadening the possibilities for Canadian creatives.
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