Los Angeles based apparel brand Legends, owned by celebrities including Quavo, Baker Mayfield and Matt Barnes, has revealed a new brand positioning and identity that focuses on harnessing the power of sport and culture to inspire everyone to find their calling.

Seeking differentiation in a congested market, Legends sought out belief-led branding experts BLVR to help solidify its long-term growth strategy and provide a clear and consistent direction for its future. The new solution redefines what it means to be a legend, encouraging everyone to reach for rarefied air. Through this lens, the brand hopes to seize storytelling opportunities to build an emotionally driven and mentally salient brand that connects with consumers on a richer level.

The move reflects an ongoing shift in the wider apparel industry, where many online direct-to-consumer brands are moving away from short-term performance marketing tactics to more durable brand building.

Legends co-founder and CEO Scott Hochstadt said: “Our first three years of business revolved around getting on people’s radar and growing the brand. After a successful launch, we wanted to take a step back to really consider who we wanted to be and how we wanted to look. So many DTCs end up failing after only a few years because they neglect to think long-term. We were determined to maintain the momentum we’ve built so far, evolving it into something with meaning beyond the clothes. Clothes are just the beginning of the impact that Legends can make.”

From cultural relevance to cultural authority

The Legends network, consisting of athletes, musicians and entertainment stars, already makes the brand unique. Austin Lane, BLVR’s Executive Creative Director, says: “Legends already had the cultural relevance to grow organically. But any clothing brand can reflect what’s going on now. What the brand was missing was its unique point of view, its lens that it applies to what’s going on in the present, to act as a portal to the future. By working with them to define its foundational belief – ‘find your calling’ – and putting that at the center of everything, the brand now has that strategic lens to drive every decision.”

At the core of this is the idea that it stands for all kinds of legends and legendary pursuits. Whether it’s the performer trying to put on the most memorable show or the dad trying to be the best role model to his kids, everyone has a calling. Legends supports its fans by encouraging them to identify their ambition and empowering them to act on it.

Editorial soul in a digital environment

The refreshed visual identity streamlines Legends’ existing brand assets, tapping into the worlds of sport and streetwear to cement Legends’ position as a hybrid between the two.

Austin says: “The strategic direction is rooted in why the founders started the brand in the first place. They had identified this nuance between the traditional and the modern athlete. Modern athletes are no longer just sporting greats; they have other interests that they pursue, whether that’s music or fashion or politics. We see a much more rounded version of their personality in today’s world. Our direction for Legends encapsulates this, fusing multiple influences in a way that’s clean, distinct and ownable.”

To elevate the identity further, BLVR opted for an editorial style, injecting aspects of the old school soul often found in the likes of Slam and The Source and adapting it for today’s digital environment.

Dynamic, typographic layouts lead the eyes upward, expressing the idea of ‘rising’ and stepping up. Think vertical text and off-axis orientations. Meanwhile, a new typography system made up of two typefaces (one serif, one sans serif) creates a tension that allows for moments of interest and emphasis, especially when combined with such generous use of negative space.

These elements provide fluidity, acting as levers for the brand to pull on based on its need. Whether in a new brand collaboration or a fashion direction, there’s always a sense of cohesion that makes the brand and its content recognisable to its fans.

Ownable with room for personality

This cohesion feeds into its presentation of its partnerships too, with the introduction of digital signature graphic devices. The timeless tradition of receiving signatures from people that we admire feels especially relevant to the Legends brand, adding a human touch to the rest of the brand graphics. It also provides an opportunity to pique interest, lend credibility and differentiate itself from other apparel brands in the same space.

Alongside the visual identity, BLVR helped to refine the Legends tone of voice. Strong, punchy and authentic, the new tone motivates consumers to reach for the top while acknowledging the amount of hard work and difficulty it takes to get there. Messages like ‘turn fear into fuel’ and ‘be the enemy of doubt’ push for change while remaining factual to the ones who live it out.

Zander Corbin, BLVR’s strategist on the project, says: “The new strategy gives Legends a baseline for years of storytelling. Young brands often get scared to put themselves in a box, even when it’s one of their choosing, for fear of shutting themselves off from certain audiences. But in reality, the focus and definition that a clear and strong brand identity provides, with a guiding belief at its heart, opens it up for more opportunities. It means that you stand for something and that’s what resonates with people.”