JOHN ELLIOTT DEBUTS BASKETBALL-INSPIRED 10TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

Los Angeles-based designer John Elliott debuted his 10th anniversary collection, Stretch the Floor, yesterday, February 1 at Skylight Clarkson during NYFW: Men’s. Elliott opened the fall/winter ‘17 show with a choreographed drumline performance by local New Jersey high school, Vernon Township. The fanfare was followed by a runway of geometric patterns resembling an exaggerated mashup of athletic courts, most specifically resembling that of a basketball court.

The 45 look collection, Elliott’s largest to-date, was inspired by the cultural exchange that happens as a result of playing summer basketball, specifically in the AAU and high school circuit. In this forum, kids from every region are hand-picked to be a part of travelling basketball teams, where cultural exchanges take place in many different ways: on the road, between teammates, between opposing teams and amongst spectator who gather for each game.

Models outfitted in special-edition Spalding basketballs designed by Elliott and his team inspired from the color palettes of the collection. Elliott also debuted his NikeLab Vandal High sneaker, which reinterpreted the 80s hardcourt icon.

Aside from the collaborative debuts, Elliott opened the show with a tailored suit – a category the designer hadn’t explored before this season.