A tale as old as time; fashion and sport have continuously worked in tandem to capture the hearts and minds of generations. For undeniable proof, we simply need to look at the ongoing success of the Nike Air Jordan; a pivotal icon in sartorial and sport history that has withstood decades. It would make sense then, that other brands and sports organisations would be looking to follow suit in their own way. Once again, the National Basketball Association, (better known as the NBA), is remaining front and centre; releasing its second NBA collaboration with luxury fashion House Louis Vuitton.
Back in January of 2020, the NBA and Louis Vuitton announced their plans for a three-year collaborative partnership, featuring multiple capsule collections. For this second, Pre-Fall 21 collection, the unlikely duo have taken inspiration from the 9os basketball mania fused with the Maison’s high fashion lens. With menswear creative director Virgil Abloh at the helm, his distinctive and explorative design codes are presented front and centre; bringing out the best of Louis Vuitton and the nostalgic hype that circulated – and continues to circulate – the NBA.
For the second capsule, the duo have chosen to imitate the wardrobe of a professional basketball player in three dress iconic stages: travel, game, and press conference. As for what you can expect from the three dress codes, travel embraces relaxed-cut suit components with more casual pieces such as a logo-adorned hoodie and short set. Noteworthy pieces from the game lineup include informal shirts decorated with multi-toned lettering that spells out the fashion label’s name; and for the press conference, sharply tailored suits and overcoats provide a professional aesthetic.
As one would expect, the accessories offering for the NBA x Louis Vuitton capsule collection certainly doesn't fall short. The House is known for reinterpreting sports pieces like basketballs into luxury leather goods; this time debuting an updated iteration of the basketball-net detailing that appeared in the first capsule. The signature Keepall travel bag is also a main focused, represented in both brown and black monogram.
Ahead of its worldwide release on May 28, you can get a taste of the NBA x Louis Vuitton collaboration below. We're predicting this one is sure to be a sellout for basketball players and lovers alike.
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