Collegiate roots run deep for many of us, and NFL players Odell Beckham, Jr. of the New York Giants, Jarvis Landry of the Miami Dolphins and Jeremy Hill of the Cincinnati Bengals are no exception. Founding members of the self-proclaimed “Royal Family” while playing alongside one another at LSU, the trio has teamed up again to design a limited-edition line of backpacks with accessories and outwear brand, Sprayground.
More artwork than utilitarian, Sprayground’s backpacks are known for challenging the status quo in terms of backpack design. Founder David Ben-David’s first bag featured the very recognizable “Hello, my name is” name badge, leaving room for street artists to tag it with their own name or design.
“I always wore a regular black backpack,” explained Ben-David. “When it was time to buy a new one, I’d go look for a new one and the options were limited. Black, camouflage, maybe blue – then the lightbulb went off. I realized this was maybe an opportunity to reinvent something.”
And that’s exactly what he did.
The original “Hello, my name is” bag was far from a one-hit wonder. Since its founding in 2010, Sprayground has partnered with such celebrities as Bruno Mars and 50 Cent and created bags for brands such as Sponge Bob and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The collaboration with the “Royal Family,” however, is Sprayground’s first with NFL players.
“Odell was seen with the bags around the time he was drafted,” said Ben-David. “My brother spotted him and then we started seeing more pictures of him with the bag. After that, a manager reached out to introduce us and talk about a collaboration.”
Beckham, Landry and Hill made their way to the Sprayground offices in New York and initially met with Ben-David for a few hours.
“I showed them some bags and we looked through fabric and had the most beautiful creative session ever,” said Ben-David.
The line currently features three designs – one for each member of the “Royal Family” – with a fourth bag representing the entire “Royal Family” due to be released at a later date.
You won’t find any NFL logos on the bags, but the imagery on the bags draws from each player’s individual interests and his current NFL home.
Beckham’s bag is inspired by his New York Giants jersey, with side panels designed as a tribute to the intricate tattoos on his arms. The bag also features detachable “wings,” which Sprayground says symbolizes “his ability to fly through the air and make game-winning catches.”
Jarvis Landry’s bag draws inspiration from his current NFL home – Miami – and his love of fast cars. His bag features detachable “doors” with his team number.
Jeremy Hill is a Louisiana native, so his bag includes a Bourbon Street backdrop and a pet tiger, symbolic of his current NFL team, the Cincinnati Bengals. His token phrase “Stay Turnt” is also included on the bag.
Each bag in the collection retails for $65-75 and is currently available in select Champs outlets nationwide and online at www.sprayground.com.