The NBA star recently became a new face of the brand, appearing in a campaign that popped up on billboards in New York on Oct. 24. But it was James’ entry into Denver’s Ball Arena that night for his team’s season opener that caused the bigger stir. For the walk from the parking lot to the locker room he wore a reported $28,000 of Louis Vuitton designed by its new menswear chief, Pharrell (@pharrell).
In a collaborative post, James and Pharrell shared an image of the moment on Instagram. Louis Vuitton, on its official account, instead of using the glossy campaign image also posted a shot of James’ arrival.
As detailed in BoF’s latest case study, fashion has fully woken up to sport’s massive marketing potential. By 2030, the global sport-sponsorship market is expected to reach $109.1 billion, up from $63.1 billion in 2021, according to PwC. Driving it is not just the record viewership of sporting events but also the unprecedented star power of athletes.
Fashion has become a vital piece of an athlete’s image and branding, enabled by moments like the tunnel walk, pictures of which frequently circulate online. Former NBA player JJ Reddick once griped that some athletes even seem more concerned with getting a pregame fit on Instagram than winning.
Read the full article by BoF’s Technology Correspondent Marc Bain and download BoF’s latest case study Fashion’s New Rules For Sports Marketing in our #linkinbio.
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