Jordan Clarkson: From the tunnel to the runway  

Jordan Clarkson strikes a pose on the runway at Paris Fashion Week.

Jordan Clarkson isn’t afraid to make a statement – on and off the court. This offseason, his bold yet playful style has helped him cross over to the fashion scene, taking his tunnel walk to the runway. 

Clarkson is one of the top-ranked fashion icons in the league, known for elevating baggy streetwear with bold pieces. This season, he paired basic denim and cargo pants with patchwork jackets, oversize puffer coats, and designer dopp kits. His rainbow furry bucket hat and spray-painted graphic tees are just some of his signature looks. 

Hence, Clarkson was the perfect muse for KidSuper’s founder and creative visionary Colm Dillane at this year’s Paris Fashion Week. As a featured main character in Meta’s multi-year brand campaign, “It’s Your World” Dillane styled Clarkson in a custom ivory suit and sneakers. 

When designing the suit, Dillane looked at literal elements of the game. “I [had] three options with basketball” Dillane said. “The basketball texture of a ball – which is quite hard leather – it is going to look like a basketball court with the rings or a net.”  

Dillane draped the custom suit and exclusive pair of sneakers in nets for a textured look to put the final touches on his art. With Clarkson as its model, the design acts as a form of creative expression for the Jazz guard, who continuously pushes the barriers between sports and fashion. The intertwined netting detail on the suit is a reminder of the two worlds that are continuously being woven together.

“This suit is the definition of my basketball fashion crossover: clean, tailored, with je ne sais quoi,” said Jordan Clarkson. “Colm and I were messaging back and forth on WhatsApp to create a special suit unique to me, and the final product was a true partnership of both our visions; we knocked it out of the park!”

A view of the KidSuper clothing designs during the launch event for Meta’s new campaign ‘It’s Your World’.

While Clarkson was the only player to wear a custom piece by Dillane, other league players made an appearance at Paris Fashion Week including, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Damian Lillard among others.  

“We had like a whole starting roster,” Dillane joked. “It’s funny because you never know their personalities … but everyone has quite a hilarious sense of humor.”  

The influx in NBA player appearances at Paris Fashion Week is a reminder that while these players have important roles to play on the court, they also have alternate interests and creative desires to fulfill. With every new season, players are evolving tunnel fits from traditional track suits to custom pieces, using fashion to develop their own personal brand. 

Recently, at NBA Con in Las Vegas, Nevada, NBA Player Development and Dreamville teamed up to present Vission:West, a fashion event focused on the intersection of fashion, music, sports and storytelling. Other fashion pioneers in the league such as Jaylen Brown and Bobby Portis appeared at the event to represent their own fashion brands and latest designs.  

As these two worlds continue to collide, Dillane says he’s most excited about the relationships he’s building. 

“I’m just excited that because of clothing, I’m now building these relationships with these athletes. It’s pretty cool.”