At Fitness Gear for Guys we are always looking out for the latest and greatest in activewear. A new brand called Open Legacy popped up on our radar recently. In a world where workout gear is getting bolder, brighter, and more over the top, Open Legacy is taking the opposite approach. Their brand is minimalist and focuses on function. All of the line comes in muted colors that let them pair well with anything.

Open Legacy’s first round of gear on Kickstarter launched just a couple weeks ago, and reached its goal in the first week. Their initial line has all the basics. The collection has shorts, long and short sleeve t-shirts, and compression shorts / three quarter length pants. We recently were able to talk with the founders of Open Legacy, Micah Tootoo and Jordan Cheesman, who gave us all the info about their brand.

Fitness Gear for Guys: It seems like LA is a big part of the Open Legacy brand. How did you end up in LA?

Open Legacy: Los Angeles has definitely been the inspiration behind our aesthetic, as well as the mindset in how we create. While neither of us (Jordan and Micah) are California natives, we were both drawn to the hustle and opportunity that Los Angeles had to offer.

Jordan came to LA directly after college to pursue a career in the fashion industry. This led to a day job as a stylist, while designing in his free time. Micah also made the move to Los Angeles after college, working in the modeling industry. As a stylist and a model, this would ultimately lead to us working together on a consistent basis for a common client. Often times shooting activewear, we were able to see what we liked and disliked about various brands. As we found a mutual interest in fashion and a love for sport and design, we began to notice a lack of minimalistic athletic apparel available for those looking for simplistic activewear. From there, Open Legacy began to grow organically out of a desire to create the items that we were struggling to find. 

FGFG: What has it been like meeting and working with local craftsmen in LA? 

OL: Inspirational to say the least. When we began this journey years ago we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We didn’t know the steps it took in making a garment, much less where to locate someone that could point us in the right direction. It literally took us knocking on random doors to find people who could not only help, but also take the time to teach. Once we found those people in the industry, they’d often times connect us with a friends, who might happen to know others who could help as well. Using these connections eventually led to us creating a network of people who we could go to when we needed guidance. For the most part there’s a tight knit community that are happy to see each other succeed. Their unselfishness and hard work is something that is contagious, and at the end of the day is what cemented our decision to commit to “Made In LA”.

FGFG: How did you come up with the name Open Legacy?

OL: We kept juggling around this idea of how each person was born with the opportunity to create anything they wanted with their life. Although we’re given a finite amount of time on this earth, our legacy is what we are building on a daily basis. You choose how you want to be remembered, or the impact that you want to leave on those around you. In that sense, the door is wide open for you to construct your reputation, and to leave a legacy.

FGFG: What has the process been to perfect the gear and get it to where it is now?

OL: The process that we’ve taken has been a bit more unconventional as we really spent the first year learning along the way. Countless sample runs were created using patterns that we would eventually change completely. While the “trial-and-error” method is essentially what we started with, we gradually learned what was working and what wasn’t – what tweaks needed to be made to make each item more functional, whether it be adjustments to the patterns themselves or whether it was the fabric that needed changing. We were relentless in making sure that every aspect of each piece was exactly how we wanted, even if it meant delaying our release. With this being our first collection available to the public, we obviously wanted to set a precedence for the quality and aesthetic that people can expect from us in the future.  

FGFG: Can you tell us more about the materials that you have picked for the clothes?

OL: Coming into this, there were a few aspects that we knew we wanted to focus on. Anytime you’re creating athletic wear, comfort has got to be at the forefront of your designs. While constructing a functional pattern is essential, the materials are equally as vital. For athletic wear, this meant finding materials that had stretch, breathability, and moisture-wicking or quick-drying properties. Locating materials that checked each box proved to be more difficult than we expected, especially being a start-up that didn’t necessarily have the funds to customize our own fabric blends. Ultimately, this just meant more ground work. Going from shop to shop finding every fabric store possible to make sure that we had seen and felt every fabric that we could get access to. At the end of the day, we genuinely feel like we have hand selected the best materials for each of our 5 styles.

FGFG: We really dig the understated color scheme, how did you pick the first colors? Any thoughts on what colors may come next?

OL: From the jump, we noticed that the majority of our inspiration stemmed from nature. If you flipped through our mood boards from years ago you’d see countless photos of coastline, palm trees and seascapes, all with muted tones. Aside from a gravitation to these colors, we also wanted to make sure that the visuals aligned with our minimalistic designs. With that in mind, our aesthetic soon lent itself to the color palette that we have now. For our first collection, we’ve incorporated what we consider to be the essential colors to have in your athletic wear arsenal – whites, blacks and blues. Moving forward, we’ll continue to utilize neutral tones, with the addition of various hues of blue, green and grey.

FGFG: Aside from Open Legacy, what are some of your go to pieces of activewear? 

OL: One piece that we always find ourselves gravitating towards are a good pair of joggers, especially this time of year when the mornings and evenings can be chilly. Coinciding with that, outerwear is a close second. A light jacket that can be run in is always useful to have. Pretty much any item that has versatility and is able to be worn casually as well as in the gym. Our interests in these pieces will definitely lead us towards incorporating one of the two, if not both, into our upcoming collections. 

FGFG: Now that the first wave has been fully funded on Kickstarter, what can we expect to see next for Open Legacy?

OL: The next step for us is carrying out the production process. With the funds raised through Kickstarter, we’ll now be able to submit the orders for our fabrics, trimmings and other details needed to complete each item. Our manufacturer is ready and in place to begin production once all of our supplies come in, so the following month(s) will largely be spent making sure all aspects of our supply chain are running smoothly. Outside of production logistics, we’ll also be devoting time towards designing our second collection, incorporating technical aspects and updating fabrics. This will most definitely involve contact with our current backers, as well as potential future customers. Part of us growing as a brand will be making sure that we continue to research what people are searching for in their athletic wear, as well as how we can create solutions to current problems in the activewear industry.

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Be sure to check out Open Legacy’s website for more information, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook to follow their journey. It’s not too late to back the crew at Open Legacy on Kickstarter and be one of the first to get your hands on their activewear.