What The NBA’s Influence On Fashion Says About Men’s Shopping Habits

Athletes have always been style icons, but in the past year, fashion’s hunger for basketball — both the players and the looks inspired by them — has blown up. Athletes have become valuable influencers for brands looking to target men at a time when menswear is on a meteoric rise. According to a report from retail analytics company Edited, luxury fashion brands are cranking out more basketball-inspired looks than ever before. The number of basketball jerseys on sale from fashion brands like Neil Barrett and Palm Angels has quadrupled in the last year. Likewise, the number of basketball shorts and hoodies from the same brands has gone up 14% and 21%, respectively. While many of the brands embracing the trend are what most would consider streetwear — they include Supreme and A-Cold-Wall — more traditional luxury brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Dsquared2 have also gone all in on the trend. In doing so, they are elevating these pieces both in prestige and in price. Edited found that the average price of basketball jerseys grew from $175 to $360 thanks to pricier items sold through luxury platforms like Farfetch. Read more at Glossy.