The Leverage Showroom’s marketing director Gerald “Gee” Dela Cruz and his cousin/streetwear veteran Dennis Calvero are embarking on the launch of a new lifestyle brand called Memory Lane.
The pair have a view point that reflects their journey in the fashion industry. Hence, the name “Memory Lane”.
“We been through so much being in this industry, wins and losses,” says Gee. “Regardless, it’s our journey and what brought us to today. So in coming up with the concept of the brand and finding our point of view it made sense to reflect our experiences, hence Memory Lane.”
“I’ve been a fan of what Chris and Lee have built with Leverage and I used to live down the street from their offices, so I’d always pop by and talk shop with them,” explains Calvero, who is also the founder of legendary brand Crooks & Castles. “We’ve had a few concepts that we planned on doing, but life got in the way (laughs). After our departure from Crooks, Gee took on the marketing position there and often would tell me to come do something with them. We finally found the right time and direction to make it happen, plus Memory Lane is my favorite Nas song [from Illmatic]!”
The inaugural season of Memory Lane consists of a collection of outerwear, heavy fleece and accessories. Calvero’s love of outdoor sportswear and technical outerwear is a direct reflection of the collection’s highlights. Graphic tees and an assortment of headwear give obvious support, but the brand plans to create products outside of what is wearable.
“I wanted to also give a deeper meaning to the brand name, that’s why I chose a Ram for our mascot,” Calvero explains. “For 1: I’m an Aries, 2: Ram is the acronym for Random Access Memory, a principal part of a computer. 3: and the Rams are in LA.”
“Fashion was key for us even before we got in the industry, the music we listened to growing up (predominantly east coast rap) reflected our style,” adds Gee. “Polo, Nautica, Timbs, AF1’s, Avirex Leathers etc. brands that weren’t specifically made for our genre (hip-hop), but repurposed to represent a lifestyle.
That’s the story I want to tell with Memory Lane.”
Memory Lane’s Season One collection is slated to drop in Spring 2023. For more info and to stay updated, follow them on Instagram: @memorylane.official and @memorylane_la.
