If you’ve been at any big Vancouver event this summer, you probably came across RYU. The exercise-wear label was hard to miss, running free public activities like spin classes at Vancouver Pride Festival and a street obstacle course at Khatsahlano Music + Art Festival. The purpose? Owner Marcello Leone is determined that his brand should be not just a part of the community, but a positive influence on it.
Leone left his family businesses, which included the high-end retailer Leone (originally founded by his mother, Maria and father, Alberto), in 2009. Two years later, he discovered it in RYU, a Portland-based martial arts wear brand. “I fell in love with the acronym,” he says. “Respect Your Universe. Nothing is bigger than the universe, and there’s nothing more important than respect.”
He invested, then became the owner in 2014 and moved the headquarters to Kitsilano. He also broadened the offering to urban athletic apparel—stylish, functional gear for the gym, track, pitch and street. When the first store opened in Kits in 2015, his team connected with the community for sponsorships, events like in-store classes, and charity endeavours. “It’s not just about writing cheques,” he says. “It’s about building relationships.” There are fundraising partnerships with groups such as the YMCA Strong Kids campaign and CAN (Canadian Autism Network).
Leone has two adult children and kids’ charities are particularly important to him. He started working with children’s hospice Canuck Place in 2004 during the Canucks strike. “The hospice didn’t receive funding from the team, so some friends and I decided to put on a charity hockey tournament,” he says. Over four games, they raised $1 million, half of which went to Canuck Place and the rest to other charities.
RYU now has outlets downtown, at Park Royal South, Metrotown and in Toronto. Next year, it’ll expand further across Canada and into the US.
But when it comes to legacy, Leone is more interested in the personal than the professional. He says: “When people ask me how I want to be remembered, it’s just as a person who did good. That’s enough for me.”
