CANADA GOOSE ENTERS MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Canada Goose has signed a new multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) that makes Canada Goose the “Proud Outerwear Partner” of NBA All-Star. In support of the partnership and timed to the NBA’s annual All-Star celebration, Canada Goose will develop an exclusive design collaboration each year for players and fans. This year’s design partner is Los Angeles-based fashion brand Rhude, known for balancing luxury techniques with streetwear elements.
“Canada Goose has been a coveted brand across the influential arenas of film, entertainment, and sport for decades. This multiyear partnership is a significant milestone for Canada Goose and the NBA; and our inaugural design partner, Rhude, known for a culturally impactful approach to design, is the perfect tipoff partner,” said Dani Reiss, president and CEO, Canada Goose. “While this year looks different, we are proud to celebrate the players who have always supported us.”
“We are excited that Canada Goose will be recognizing the players and their accomplishments with their All-Star collections in the years ahead,” added Salvatore LaRocca, president of global partnerships at NBA. “Canada Goose will bring its legacy of style and innovation to the league’s global celebration of the game.”
The inaugural year of the partnership will launch with the “Play in the Open” challenge, born from Canada Goose’s “Live in the Open” ethos – the brand’s invitation to express oneself freely and without judgment. The Play in the Open challenge will launch on TikTok on March 4th with a Tip Off Crew performing their best basketball trick. The Tip Off Crew, including Rhude’s founder Rhuigi Villaseñor and NBA center James Wiseman, will challenge followers to join in with their best spin, dunk, or dribble and challenge three people to do the same – all in the spirit of coming together while staying apart.
The Canada Goose & NBA Collection with Rhude is a four-piece unisex outerwear capsule designed for the elements and built for year-round use. Canada Goose is inspired by its archives, and each style reflects its heritage, including quilting, patches, bold branding, and vintage washed colors and prints, all with distinct design cues from Rhude.
“The NBA merges cultures, socioeconomics and brings people around the world together in the name of sport,” commented Villaseñor. “Canada Goose is an innovative lifestyle brand, redefining the category. It was a no-brainer to partner with these two iconic brands. This collaboration honors the heritage of both the NBA and Canada Goose, and is a tribute to the athletes that already covet the brand.”
The collaboration’s pinnacle piece is the Freestyle Vest, a layering necessity fit for shoulder seasons, transitional temperatures, and premier protection. Freestyle Vests from this year’s Canada Goose & NBA Collection with Rhude will be made available to all 2021 NBA All-Star participants and will be available for sale through canadagoose.com and select Canada Goose retail stores in the United States and Canada.
The Portage Jacket, a relaxed-fit trench coat, is sought-after for its versatility and convertible length, easily customizable via snap closures. The capsule’s two parkas are Canada Goose’s classics – the Chilliwack Bomber and Macmillan Parka. The Chilliwack is known for its durability, warmth, and mobility, while the Macmillan provides fundamental protection for active city living. Each style is exclusively finished off with the Canada Goose disc, NBA logo, and Rhude patch. Canada Goose’s promise to inspire and enable all people to thrive in the outside world comes to life through the collection and Play in the Open, championing freedom of expression.
This Canada Goose and NBA partnership is an expansion of Canada Goose’s activation during NBA All-Star 2016 in its hometown of Toronto, where the company created limited-edition co-branded parkas for both NBA All-Star teams.
The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Sunday, March 7th at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Hawks. The Canada Goose & NBA Collection with Rhude drops right before Sunday’s game, starting March 5th at select Canada Goose retail stores and online at canadagoose.com in the United States and Canada.