Denver Broncos Quarterback Russell Wilson, and his wife, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Ciara along with CEO Christine Day, have finally touched down in Denver. Their new retail space, located in Park Meadows (near Macy’s), is the fourth brick and mortar for The House of LR&C carrying sustainable fashion brands Good Man Brand, LITA by Ciara and HUMAN NATION.
Why is Colorado the perfect place to open your new store and bring your fashion brand, The House of LR&C?
Ciara: The Denver community has been so welcoming to our family since the day we arrived. We knew that if we were ever going to relocate to a new city, we’d take The House of LR&C with us.
Russell: Moving to Denver has been such an amazing journey and opportunity for my career and family. We are so blessed to be able to bring The House of LR&C to Denver and provide a convenient place to shop Good Man Brand essentials in the area.
Why is fashion close to your heart? Why is this brand so special?
Ciara: I’ve always had a passion for fashion. Even from a young age, I grew up admiring both my grandmother and my dad’s sense of style. I was exposed to people who adored getting dressed up at an early age and that stuck with me throughout adulthood. Fashion has allowed me to express myself in a whole new way. Ultimately, I gravitate towards women’s wear because it’s so fun to re-interpret what the word ‘feminine’ means through clothing. At the same time, LITA is grounded in the concept of being ‘tomboy chic.’ It’s cool to fuse two traditionally opposite concepts when creating a collection.
Russell: What we’re building spans beyond fashion. It’s about doing good, which is why we have the Why Not You Foundation. All purchases at The House of LR&C contribute to the giveback of 3% profits, after product costs, to the Why Not You Foundation to empower today’s youth.
Do you plan to expand and open more retail stores in Colorado in the future?
Ciara: The store has already been so well received in Denver, so we’d definitely love to expand our offering to Coloradans elsewhere. You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out!
Russell: We are excited to continue expanding our retail footprint with additional stores, and look forward to seeing where the next one is.
How does it work operationally? Do you both have a say in the line?
Ciara: My official title (beyond Co-Founder) is Chief Creative Director for the company, which includes all three brands in the House (LITA, Good Man Brand and HUMAN NATION). Being in that role feels like a natural extension of who I am in my everyday life because I get to exercise my creative mind and have a lot of fun while doing it. We’ve hired such an amazing, driven team and when we’re brainstorming and designing, we pour our creative hearts into everything we do. It’s really rewarding to see all our ideas come to life through the product.
Russell: I let Ciara lead the majority of the charge when it comes to design aspects of the line but I definitely give a lot of input into the collections as well. I like to make sure the men’s lines have modern chic looks and are versatile. For example, our Good Man Brand pants were built for men who love to move and travel! I can run a 40 yard dash in these; full squat and all! Another example was when we were launching the Good Man Brand swimwear. I knew I wanted the trunks to embody the notion of versatility and could be easily worn from the pool to late night. Before we officially launched the collection, I was able to test the styles on vacation in St. Barts to make sure that this concept came to life practically—and they did.
Where did the idea of the Good Man Brand come from?
Russell: Good Man Brand had already existed for a few years before it merged under The House and the whole concept behind that was creating comfort style that still managed to be modern, sexy and chic. The core target is the everyday man who wants to be movable. With that concept in mind, we were able to bring something new to the market.
A Fashion Brand that Gives Back
With the expansion of their stores, Russell and Ciara are building more than just a functional fashion line. The House of LR&C donates 3% of profits (after product costs) to the couple’s Why Not You Foundation with a mission to empower today’s youth.
