At Canada Goose this season, the all-star is Salehe Bembury.
The outerwear brand and the American designer famed for his contributions to coveted footwear (Versace sneakers, Crocs Pollex, Yeezy, to name a few) have linked up for a capsule collection as part of the former’s ongoing partnership with the National Basketball Association and its annual All-Star celebration.
Dropping Feb. 11, the four-piece, limited-edition collection for any gender melds Canada Goose’s functionality with Bembury’s flavor and, according to the brand, “the freedom of ’90s NBA style.”
For Bembury, who chooses his collabs considerately, it was a mashup that made sense.
“All three brands intersect by utilizing ‘craft’ to solve problems,” he told WWD. “I utilize my design ability to educate, give back, and most consistently create products that bring people joy. Canada Goose uses its long heritage of quality and function to solve for cold weather environments. The NBA uses the abilities of its athletes to give back and enrich communities across the world. None of these initiatives would be possible without the foundation of each entity’s ‘craft.’
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The trifecta of craft has yielded a capsule designed for both practicality and play. Canada Goose’s Expedition Parka has been “reimagined” with a Chenille hood trim and removable vest, giving the staple new swag. The Concord Fleece, which Bembury teased on his Instagram page in January, features the designer’s signature all-over fingerprint pattern, while the Signal Vest and Tundra Bib, a quilted design cold-weather coverall, round out the collection.
“The collection was influenced by my personal style that is inspired by my love for the outdoors and the freedom of ’90s NBA style. Each player brought a unique perspective to the table that was influenced by their childhood, region or team, composing a beautiful juxtaposition of style without rules. I wanted this idea to come through each of the pieces within the collection, while recognizing the functionality that Canada Goose products achieve,” Bembury said. “The intention was to be thoughtful in my approach so that the grass roots Canada Goose consumer will find the collection familiar, while the new consumer will be instantly excited and eager to learn about Canada Goose heritage.”
Each piece comes co-branded with a Canada Goose and Salehe Bembury tonal disc featuring the designer’s fingerprint motif and the NBA logo.
Players in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, taking place in Cleveland on Feb. 20, will receive the capsule’s Expedition Parka and Concord Fleece as part of their kits.
“As the NBA celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season, our latest collaboration with Canada Goose serves an opportunity for our fans to uniquely express their connection to our game,” Lisa Piken Koper, the NBA’s senior vice president of global partnerships, said in a statement.
As part of Canada Goose’s ongoing “Play in the Open” campaign, aimed at inspiring people to “thrive in the outside world,” a hand-painted Salehe Bembury figure will appear in a stop-motion production by Foster Huntington dressed in the capsule and showing its versatility by juggling, fishing and playing basketball in the pieces. The campaign will launch in line with the collection on Feb. 11 at select Canada Goose stores, wholesale partners and online), and fans who join the brand’s Basecamp community platform will have a chance to own one of the limited-edition Bembury figures.
Though it has been around since the mid-century, the Canadian brand still knows how to draw a crowd — whether outside of its SoHo, New York store or virtually when new collabs drop — and it has been keeping things fresh with its tie-ups. Most recently, Tokyo-based streetwear brand Bape and designer Angel Chen have added their spin to the brand in partnerships.
For Bembury, the NBA All Star Capsule with Canada Goose is about more than just design.
“In the spirit of Play in the Open, I’d consider this collaboration a success if we are able to inspire a new community of curious minds to get outdoors with this product,” he said.