Perhaps the most uncommon thing to see in the streets of downtown Calgary in the depths of March is a parade of scantily clad men sporting nothing but shoes, socks, and a pair of seriously eye-catching, blue-checkered boxer briefs. A rare sighting indeed, yet on March 21st, 72 souls braved the sub-zero temperatures, dressing down to their underwear before taking to the streets for a great cause. Among the brazen were our very own Richard A. Grant and Jonathan Hope, who turned heads with their “mesmerizing” workman-themed outfits (or lack thereof), complete with tool belts and hard hats.
The event, hosted by the fashion gurus at Espy and in tandem with the Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre (CPCC), aims to raise awareness of the disease diagnosed to 1 in 7 Albertan men. This year, the event was a huge success. Over $72,000 has been donated so far.
The Espy Experience is a fashion-based service helmed by a team of exclusively professional designers and stylists who offer an honest, affordable perspective to clients of both sexes and all different body types. Since Espy’s inception 15 years ago, owner/creator Megan Szanik @espyexperience and her team have strived to enhance the Inglewood community and the city of Calgary at large through annual events such as #nakedespy and #bikiniespy. These events have consistently raised thousands of dollars for the CPCC and Special Olympics Calgary.
If Richard and Jonathan’s boldness has inspired you to show support and become a sponsor of #nakedespy, you can sign up to donate or participate in next year’s event by filling out the form on the Espy website.
To learn more about the CPCC and their strategies for raising awareness, click here.