UNKNWN Collection 001

When LeBron James set out to open his own apparel store in Miami, most people assumed it would mostly be for sneaker-heads and hyped streetwear. While the store does have a large sneaker selection along with a full basketball court in the back, he also wanted to offer an elevated take on streetwear that he and his friends could both look and feel good in. He also wanted to make sure everyone felt good about his product in every way, so it was pivotal for him to find reliable manufacturing partners here in the US with profits also benefitting his other charitable works. My role with this project was to be his boots on the ground in Los Angeles, working directly with the factory and being the liaison between his business team and all aspects of production. I also took on technical duties, helping to supervise fit, sourcing, and in-line inspecting up through delivery. There was one fabric in particular which I had sourced from an Italian mill that integrated both sustainable and repurposed fibers into a bouclé type plaid. I showed it to his main partner on a whim who knew right away that it would be a personal favorite, and sure enough LeBron chose to wear it out of the photoshoot to a dinner that very same evening. Overall this project was one of my most hands on and challenging experiences, but we delivered an amazing product and debuted the brand and store to great success.