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BLOG: ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: HOW CULT-HERO DESIGNER BREMA BREMA CUSTOMIZES LEVI’S®
Style /
December 2020
"I love creating things, and expressing myself every chance I get," says Brema Brema.
"I thrive in chaos. I think the time is now. When we had to quarantine, I had no other options, and it forced me to focus. I had to take that jump and put 110% into my brand — I'm focused on my vision and what I want to achieve."
The 23-year-old artist and designer is no stranger to facing adversity head-on. Born in war-torn Sudan, Brema and his family fled to a Kenyan refugee camp when he was five before ultimately settling in Milwaukee in 2010. He proved his diligence, drive, and ambition early on, mastering his schoolwork and skateboard with equal enthusiasm. He would soon develop a passion for photography, filmmaking and screen printing, often customizing his thrift-store finds (including vintage Levi’s®, of course) with graphic fonts and evocative imagery. His upcycled wares attracted friends and a loyal social following, and Brema's cult streetwear label Unfinished Legacy was born.
We sat down with Brema to break down his unapologetically bold brand, his love of vintage 501® jeans and his new Levi's® customizations.
What made you want to create wearable art and start a streetwear brand?
When I first moved here, clothing like this wasn't as accessible to me. I started skateboarding, and in skate culture, everyone wanted to get good enough to be sponsored by brands. Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it gets cold, and progressing in skateboarding was almost impossible. So, I was just like, ‘Oh, maybe I could start my own thing.’ Throughout high school, I did a lot of internships, and one in particular, at the Milwaukee Art Museum during my sophomore year, changed everything. That's when I was introduced to screen printing, and I was like, ‘Oh, that's how they make clothes. That's how they make t-shirts.’ And then the next day I came back with some sketches. I started to see the possibility and how you can translate an idea into something tangible, into anything you want.
What drew you to Levi's®?
My family didn't have much money to buy new clothes, so we thrifted a lot. We were always looking for something that's quality, and Levi's® last so long. As soon as I was able, I started buying Levi's® and printing on them to resell to friends or my followers on social media.
How’d you start working with Levi’s®?
I've been screen printing for almost five years, and typically printing on t-shirts. Through my process, I stepped out of my comfort zone and ended up working with a pair of Levi's®. The whole process was the coolest, and my followers enjoyed seeing something different. I kept printing on Levi's® and I just put it out there that it is a dream of mine to work with the brand. I was transparent with my thought process and it was cool to see the response from a community of people who've been following me for a while. They wanted to see me level up, and they tagged Levi’s® to get the brand’s attention — it all happened so fast.
Why do you think you’re such an inspiration so many upcoming artists?
Unfinished Legacy does a lot of pop-ups where we incorporate a lot of DIY. I want everybody to feel part of the process. And I encourage people to express themselves. I post a lot on TikTok, and a lot of times, it's for a younger demographic. They see the price tag, and they're like, ‘Oh, I can't afford that.’ I'm always encouraging them, ‘You could do it yourself too. You don't have to buy it; you can go out, thrift, and make it.’ Embrace and share your self-expression.
How did you land on the name Unfinished Legacy?
I came up with the name at the museum internship. Once a week, we sat in a circle, and one time, in particular, we were asked to describe ourselves with one word. Someone next to me chose "Unfinished." That resonated with me right away. From my goals, my dreams, just things that I aspire to be, I'm not there yet. So just feeling incomplete and unfinished.
I was doing street art at the time, and the name that I used to write all the time was Legacy. So, when I was walking home that day, I decided to tie the two words together, ‘Unfinished Legacy.’ And it just made perfect sense. There are a lot of people I look up to, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Their legacies are still unfinished and we're still carrying on those legacies to this day.
How did you land on your signature butterfly symbol?
I was working at a local media start-up called MKE Misfits that I started with a couple of friends and still had dreams of pursuing my brand. Yet, I wasn't entirely confident in it. I saw butterflies flying outside, and I thought ‘Okay, I have the screen printing set up, and it's just sitting, collecting dust. Let me go home, let me try to create something with it.’ So that was the symbol that I went with. I do things with intention. I don't do things just to do it because it'll look cool. But when I first started with the butterfly, I was like, ‘Oh, it just looks cool. I'm going to use it.’ It quickly evolved into its own meaning. I discovered later that the butterfly represents immigration, which is part of my story, migrating here as a refugee. And the transformation from a cocoon to a beautiful butterfly is something that resonates with basically everybody. Our journey in life is to transform into our fullest potential. There is a quote that I found online. I'm not sure if this is scientifically true or not, but it's something that I've carried with me, saying that butterflies can't see their wings. They can't see how truly beautiful they are, and other people can. For me, this is something I have struggled with for a while. There have been times I haven’t seen my true value or believed in my talent, even when others have. Now I think I'm starting to believe in myself. It takes a journey to get to this point.
Do you have a favorite pair of Levi's®?
I’m 501® all day. I was wearing skinnier 510s for a while, but there's something about the 501®. I'm always collecting and on the hunt for them, new or old. They just fit perfectly and sit well, and that's the classic style that I want to work with.
What's next for you?
I want to keep traveling and expanding Unfinished Legacy into other cities and places as I continue to build relationships with either skate brands or small boutique shops. I have a lot to learn about the fashion industry. Finding mentorship is my short-term goal, as well as continuing to align with the right people and discovering resources that will help make a lot of this dream come true. My long-term goal is to use my brand to impact my community either here or back home in Kenya. Until then I will take it day by day.