Champion CMO Richard McLeod On The Company’s Creator’s Program

To learn more about the Champion Creator’s Program, the No Permission Collection, and how both initiatives underscore the Champion What Moves You messaging, Complex recently spoke with Richard McLeod, Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Champion. The interview was edited for concision and clarity.

To kick things off, can you tell us about the Champion No Permission Collection?
Let’s start with the exhibition that we had at the Brooklyn Museum on May 7. That was a way for us to unveil the No Permission Collection and inspire creativity for future Creators, no permission necessary. The one-day-only exhibition displayed one-of-a-kind Champion pieces from a variety of Creators that we partnered with. We were also able to showcase brands that have exemplified the No Permission ethos in their work. So BAPE, Pyrex, Supreme, and brands of the like were included at the event, showcasing pieces in which blank Champion products were used as the base of their work.That was the catalyst. 

Then the Creators Program is something that we kicked off on June 17. And that’s really about uncovering up-and-coming creators and providing them with resources to continue their work, whether it be through Champion blanks or through financial aid.

How do you see that No Permission ethos connecting earlier streetwear pioneers that used Champion blanks, like BAPE, with the newer Creators the company has worked with? And then, how do you extend that connection to the designers who will be applying to the Champion Creator’s Program between now and July 17?
I think it’s really about the mindset. Something that connects all of those designers together is their ability to go through adversity, push through, and focus in terms of having that as a driving force for their own creativity and not allowing external forces or things to tamper with their ability to move their craft forward. That’s really what it’s about. At the core of streetwear’s evolution lies a defiant spirit. One that is relentless, unbound by rules, expectations, or norms. As the brand that invented the world’s-first hoodie and patented the Reverse Weave technology, the Champion Creators Program is our avenue to provide every creator a canvas to live their true purpose and a platform to tell their stories.