NBA Fashion Talks, E02: unpacking the outfits of Montrezl Harrell and Jaren Jackson Jr.

In the first episode of NBA Fashion Talks, Toreno Winn and London Wilmot explained their creative processes, their modus operandi and the particularities that make the relationship between fashion and NBA players unique. Stylists of Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green answered the question "How do you create the style of an NBA player?" starting from the idea that fashion is increasingly a tool available to players to build a more personal image off the court.

We asked the same question, but the interlocutors change. In the second part of the immersion in the NBA tunnel, the new guides are Mary Francis e Toni Lowe, stylists respectively of Montrezl Harrell from the LA glamour and Jaren Jackson Jr. from the cold of Tennessee but with the soul of New Jersey. Two different ideas of conceiving the style for two different players, united only and exclusively by the role on the hardwood.

Montrezl Harrell

As with many NBA players, looking at the past - intended as the rookie year - and the present at a stylistic level can be a trauma. As with Chris Andersen, who represents the extreme part of this concept, Harrell also entered aesthetically very clean in the League, while now he is one of the NBA trendsetters whose style lights up the arena tunnel - and the "2020-21 Trezz tunnel tour" jersey is clear.

Every NBA player looks for his own style and Harrell's knows how to be unique also thanks to the insights and choices of Mary Francis, the mind who transforms the creativity and personality of the #15 of the Lakers into incredible outfits. Mary's client portfolio is of the highest level - in addition to Montrezl there is De’Anthony Melton, Bruce Brown, Terance Mann, Dan Oturu and for a period also Ja Morant - and even if it seems difficult to diversify outfits for athletes of age and fame diverse, Mary says it's not such an impossible task thanks to the players' personalities:

"Each one of my clients is so incredibly different in their own way. Prior to the season I create a visual with inspo and creative direction that we will be going in, for every client. There is always the possibility to choose based on the energy you have that day, we always keep the same aesthetic vision".

Harrell is the most whimsical of Mary Francis' team and his stylistic choices are often out-of-the-box, like many of his plays on court. What is striking about Trezz is the energy he manages to spread, especially when he can show the world his aesthetic creativity and the messages he conveys through his outfits:

"Trezz is so incredibly creative and I love that! With all my clients I never want to change who they are, and the way they like to creatively express themselves… It is their individual style, and I respect that. I am in their lives to highlight and enhance  their style in a bigger way. Introducing them to new brands, pushing their boundaries to try new things, and making them feel good about their choices. It is a team effort, and I NEVER want to change them!".

Jaren Jackson Jr.

The center of the Memphis Grizzlies, on the other hand, belongs to another generation, much more attentive to fashion but also more easily influenced by big trends. JJJ is in his third year in the League but has already proven himself as good on and off the court. After all, having presented yourself to the NBA Draft - the moment of imprinting also from a stylistic point of view - with a crushed velvet blazer in the middle of summer is equivalent to immediately raising the bar.

Jaren Jackson takes full advantage of the creativity and ideas of Toni Lowe, a stylist who takes care of every detail of an outfit always starting from the personality and the idea of style of the players:

"Personality plays a huge role on how the guys put their looks together. You can see the same Off-White sweater worn 3 different ways by 3 different guys".

When we asked her what was the creative process that leads to comparing her with Jaren to choose a particular pairing, Toni Lowe replied that the role of the personal shopper is to advise and help to compose and not to impose or create something distant from the vision of your client:

"People often believe that individuals who have wardrobe stylist doesn’t have style and that couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth. The clothing selections brought to the player is dependent on his own personal taste in fashion. I believe you stay original by not looking at what others are doing. Personal style is just that, Personal!".

The NBA Fashion Talks have helped to bring to light the work of those who create and remain in the shadows, of those who inspire, dress and live fashion every day to offer the show of the NBA tunnel. Mary Francis and Toni Lowe, as well as Toreno Winn and London Wilmot, are examples of how the NBA is an organization that leaves nothing to chance and how players use the link with fashion to create a personal and different image that emerges on court. As Toni Lowe rightly remembers "fashion is more than just clothes, it can be used as a tool to establish a player’s image off the court".