There’s a certain magic to sporting history—moments that linger in the grain of old photographs, the static fuzz of VHS replays, and the collective memory of millions. Cricket in the ‘70s and ‘80s wasn’t just a game; it was an unspoken style statement. White flannels catching the sun just so, collars popped with a hint of flair, knitted vests that belonged as much in the pavilion as they did at the crease. It was a uniform born of tradition but carried with a quiet rebellion; elegance and grit, stitched into every over. Back then, there were no stylists, no logo-laden kits, no brands dictating how you showed up. The look was simple, the vibe was laid-back, the colours timeless, and the players carried it all off with a natural, unbothered charm.
Peter England’s latest campaign, The League of Legends, taps into that nostalgia, bringing the swagger of that epic era of cricket to the modern man’s wardrobe. Fronted by the indomitable Sir Vivian Richards, India’s own Kapil Dev, and the ever-iconic Harsha Bhogle, this campaign is a bold love letter to the gentleman’s game, wrapped in retro graphics and cricketing folklore. But this isn’t just a marketing exercise in sporting nostalgia. It’s a sharply cut, wearable collection that translates those timeless moments onto tees, polos, Henleys, and beyond.
At the heart of the collection are the tribute T-shirts, carefully illustrated reproductions of two iconic snapshots from the World Cup final stage. One immortalises Kapil Dev’s bowling action, the other, Richards’ ferocious knock. These aren’t just graphics; they’re symbols of a time when cricket wasn’t a global entertainment empire, but a scrappy, soulful battle for glory. The collection itself is an exercise in easy-going, masculine style. Washed-out polos in shades of navy and cream, retro graphic tees that look like they’ve been pulled from a collector’s trunk, Henleys in classic fits—all of it taps into the laid-back charm of cricket’s golden era. There’s a deliberate choice in colour palette too: soft beiges, faded blues, maroons, and whites dominate, a nod to the traditional whites of cricketing uniforms and the sunlit afternoons of the sport’s heyday.
The campaign films are worth a mention too. Kapil and Viv guiding young players through the pressures of the game, Bhogle’s voice stitching together these mentor-mentee moments—it’s all a bit sentimental, but in a way that feels earned. You can’t fake the kind of gravitas these legends bring to the table. Kapil sums it up best: “Cricket teaches you how to carry yourself. This collection does exactly that—with style and pride.” Richards, as ever, keeps it simple: “That ‘79 tee? That’s not just a T-shirt. That’s history.”
Peter England’s League of Legends is more than a collab. It’s an invitation to wear your sporting heart on your sleeve, to carry a piece of cricket’s legacy into your everyday. The collection is now live across 240+ stores, IPL broadcasts, and digital platforms—a reminder that while the game has evolved, its spirit still belongs to the men who gave it everything. Because cricket isn’t just a game. It’s a legacy.
