Born x Raised’s Spanto Honors His Late Father With a New Levi’s Collab

By Christian Allaire

Born x Raised founder Chris Printup—a.k.a. Spanto—found himself in Memphis shortly after his father, Butch, died earlier this year. "The day after he passed, I flew to his home and was laying down in his bedroom, looking at all of his things and drawing inspiration from the iconography of his personal belongings," says Spanto. When he came across one of his dad's old jackets, the Indigenous streetwear designer had an idea: What if he used clothes to pay tribute to his father? "I found this Levi's denim jacket that he used to wear a lot when I was a kid and immediately knew I wanted to dedicate a project to my father's memory," says Spanto.

On Friday that idea will become a reality when Born x Raised releases its new collaboration with Levi's, honoring the memory of Butch through style. Spanto put his own unique take on the heritage denim label's key pieces, such as the classic 501 jean, the denim Trucker jacket, and graphic tees. All the pieces—which range from $180 for the jeans to $325 for the jacket—are screen-printed with a special graphic print that represents Butch "watching over him." The Trucker jacket also includes the phrase "Born x Raised, In Loving Memory" embroidered onto the back. "Everything is a result of [Butch's] life and teachings, and it's all a spin-off of his actions," says Spanto.

Spanto's childhood in Venice, California, is also reflected throughout the line. "I grew up in Los Angeles in the ’80s and ’90s, when the way you dressed was a very loud statement," says Spanto. "We wore our clothing like a suit of armor and a badge of courage. I keep and carry the same energy with me when I design my collections." The designer adds that a brand like Levi's was the perfect partner to capture that laid-back, Californian lifestyle that's synonymous with his own line. "Levi's and a white tee shirt is what I grew up wearing, almost as a uniform," says Spanto. "Something so simple but yet so elegant. Levi's is timeless, and I also think that Born x Raised is timeless."

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The designer's Indigenous heritage—he's half Apache, half Seneca—is also present throughout the campaign. For the photoshoot in both LA and White River, Arizona, Spanto enlisted an array of people from his life to model the new pieces—including his mother and siblings and actors Richard Cabral and Amber Midthunder. "When we cast [our campaigns], we use real people—people I look up to and respect."

He adds that designing the new assortment evoked a sense of community within him. "I was able to travel back to our homelands [in Arizona], visit the home he grew up in, and visit with relatives," says Spanto. "With this project, I’ve been able to learn a lot more about myself and my family's history." He hopes anyone who wears a new piece from the line can feel that special spirit. "I hope each person takes something different from this," says Spanto. "With Born x Raised, I always want to make you feel a strong emotion."