For over a century, Champion has been synonymous with originality and self-expression. Born from sportswear roots, the innovative lifestyle brand’s mission is to provide every Champion with a canvas to live their true purpose. From this same spirit of individualism and authenticity comes its latest campaign: Champion What Moves You.
Through the imaginative campaign, the iconic sportswear brand is departing from traditional understandings of “champion” as a stagnant noun. Instead, its namesake is poised as an active verb - evolving the focus from what it means to be a champion to those individuals who are championing movements and moments themselves.
In Champion What Moves You, the brand amplifies the unique voices of those who create with purpose, placing them at the heart of its vision. From rappers and athletes to street artists and shoe cobblers, the purpose-driven campaign calls upon a global network of creators to harness the power of connection and collaboration to push cultural boundaries and move the cultural dial forward.
Among these disruptors is Signkid, a London-based writer, producer and sign-song rapper who champions musical accessibility and inclusivity through projects that bridge the gap between the hearing and non-hearing world. By defying and stretching beyond perceived limitations, the Deaf musician is creating his own canvas for the future.
It seemed only fitting, then, that we celebrate the launch of Champion What Moves You alongside him. On the first Thursday of October, Highsnobiety teamed up with the iconic brand to host guests at the Champion New York Flagship store in the heart of Soho.
In what was a formal invitation into his world, attendees were greeted by a Signkid mural that spanned the lengths of the store’s Broadway Street facade. The retail space itself was also transformed to capture the energy of the evening - backlit by the signature Champion red, it reflected the bold sentiment of the campaign.
In his work with Champion, Signkid realized that there was no hand sign for “champion” as a verb, so he created his own: a new sign to simultaneously communicate “champion” in the form of a verb and the “Champion” brand. Paying homage to this new inception and partnership, guests were invited to design their own hoodies featuring this embroidery, customizing the placement and color of the iconic champion logo to their liking. This marked the start of Champion and Sign Kid’s partnership as the exclusive original design will be available to the masses later this year.
A celebration of collaboration and community, the event featured plenty of opportunities for just that. At the customization bar, guests watched their personalized creations being embroidered in real time onto the iconic Champion reverse weave, snapping photos of their finished products. Notable attendees included #TheDefModel Ayanna Michele, creative director Justin Boone, and NYC-based creative Jachuku, who were seen chatting and posing with Signkid in their Champion gear.
Accompanied by sounds from Malcolm Flex, Miss Lilly, and ProbablYourDaddy, the space was lively with conversation. Capturing the spirit of the campaign that asks, “What moves you?” the evening’s programming appropriately culminated in a massive dance party, in which attendees eagerly rushed to the dance floor to take part in the festivities.
The event proved to be the perfect forum in which to capture the Champion What Moves You call to action. From artists to visionaries, innovators to change-makers, Champion is uplifting a generation of changemakers who will build legacies that will long outlive any physical product or store.
