Text: Lucie KrůčkováPhoto: Ilja Hubálek
Fashion and sport have always been closely intertwined, yet in the NBA this connection takes a somewhat different form. While it is impossible to deny the enormous influence many NBA players have on sportswear, a great number of them also shape the world of elegant fashion. They own their own fashion labels and serve as style role models and icons. Basketball's link with refined tailoring is in fact relatively recent, and it can be credited to one particular NBA commissioner.
To games and club events only in a suit
In 2005, NBA commissioner David Stern approved a rule requiring a classic suit for any events connected with a team and with the promotion of basketball or the NBA. Arriving at the arena for a game was included. So while other athletes are usually seen in sportswear before a match, NBA players are obliged to turn up in elegant attire. The rule book specifically named suits and collared shirts.
Stern's rules also have their more controversial side. They ban the wearing of conspicuous gold chains and pendants or medallions, so popular among basketball fans and the hip-hop scene.
Although the rule was initially regarded as highly questionable, even racially charged, the players embraced it and found a way to make it their own. Even though it is no longer strictly enforced today, a large proportion of players still observe it and in fact enjoy elegant fashion. They love fashion and see the dress code as an opportunity to display their personal style. A player's arrival at the arena has thus become an event closely followed by fans, social media and fashion critics alike.
NBA players and the brands of the fashion world
Some players own their own labels that have breathed new life into the fashion industry. French Deal is owned by the French-born player Ian Mahinmi. Other players represent leading fashion houses. Outfit collections are prepared a season in advance and wardrobes are selected meticulously according to each event's dress code. A number of players work with professional stylists. The player's name, his style and the story he wishes to tell are all carefully cultivated.
Among the icons are Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Equally impossible to miss is the Czech player Tomáš Satoranský in outfits by the Czech fashion brand Blažek.
As he himself said: "Fashion and good food are among my hobbies. Fashion is highly changeable, and that is what makes it so interesting."
Tomáš values garments that not only look good but also offer maximum comfort. This matters especially while travelling, of which he does a great deal throughout the year.
He has grown fond of lightweight summer suits cut from cloth by the Italian producer Ing. Loro Piana & C., as well as the comfort of bespoke tailoring. Given his two-metre athletic frame, it is hardly surprising. Only this way can he achieve a perfectly fitting garment.
Life in the NBA also involves many formal occasions with a prescribed dress code. The wardrobe of a top American basketball player therefore must include a formal suit and a tuxedo. This one is tailored from exclusive cloth by the Italian producer Lanificio F.lli Cerruti.
An inseparable part of hot summer days are linen jackets and suits, prized for their lightness, breathability and unmistakable crumpled look. Tomáš Satoranský is particularly fond of linen suits in the wonderful fabrics of the king of linen, the Solbiati mill.
Have Tomáš Satoranský's outfits caught your eye? Visit Blažek Tailoring in Nekázanka. We shall be delighted to help you perfect your own individual style.
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