”Their style caught my eye more than anything,” he added. “Some of the stuff [they were wearing] I would be like, ‘Man, I wouldn’t wear it,’ but it was cool to see how they were expressing themselves, one with the music, and on top of that with their attire.”
Brown’s childhood attire consisted primarily of white Air Force 1s, Ed Hardy tees, True Religion jeans, and Hermès belts. Brown was not afraid to make a fashion statement, even if he followed the latest trends. He attracted attention at the gym with his short shorts, which became his signature style. Brown wore his basketball shorts much above the knee during a time when a baggier design was considered the usual.
Brown shakes his head today when opposing players insult his shorts, considering that 5-inch inseams are widely accepted and short-shorts have become the new basketball court norm. “Now all the young guys are wearing their shorts all the way up, showing their whole leg,” Brown said with a grin.
Brown, a five-star prоspect, got offers from prestigious collegiate basketball programs across the country, including Kansas, North Carolina, UCLA, and Kentucky, but chose the University of California, Berkeley. He was aware of his academic expectations for his one-year college experience. And he did. He studied Spanish, meditated, and spent many hours on campus interacting with his lecturers, absorbing information from various sources. Many of Brown’s family members, particularly his mother Mechalle, have a teaching background, and it’s clear how their influence has filtered down.
But Brown wants to do more than just learn; he wants to share his knowledge with others. After the Celtics drafted him third overall in 2016, he began to ponder how to carve his own path.
“People forget I’m the highest-selected player to enter the NBA draft without an agent,” Brown says with a smile. “I didn’t have a public relations team, an agency, or a manager.” If I needed something done, I would call and send the email myself. I wаnted to be aware and in control of my brand’s direction. I learned a lot along the process, including how to operate a business, express myself, and be efficient with myself.
During All-Star Weekend in 2018, he sponsored a networking luncheon and invited speakers from the sports, business, and entertainment areas to share their expertise with NBA players.
Brown’s expanding off-court career includes his own sportswear line, 7uice. Brown’s passion for fashion has always been strong. He’s recently become interested in matching his eyewear to his clothing. Brown discusses putting together an outfit as if it were an artwork, but he also admits to being a creature of habit and preferring comfort.
He still prefers his white Air Force 1s and sаys he goes through 100 pairs each year to stay fresh. Despite arriving at the tunnel before games in a range of costumes, he cites Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and his famous attire as another significant fashion influence. “That’s something that’s always been dоpe to me,” he went on to sаy. “As I get older, I believe I’ll be able to replicate the concept of establishing a uniform so that you constantly wear the same thing. There are so many things on my mind, and how much time I would save if I didn’t spend an hour each day of the week figuring out how I want to look, what I want to wear, how the fit will be, what the lighting will be like when I arrive, and if they’ll take pictures. “You have to dress for the occasion, which requires a lot of effort and detail.”
All of this suggests that Brown values his time. As an NBA player in the prime of his career, finding time to pursue his off-court goals can be challenging, but he has no regrets about joining the league and being the driving force behind the growth of his own brand.
Brown has a team that supports him both on and off the court, but he’s learned a lot of valuable lessons on his own to get where he is now – in business, fashion, and, of course, living a good life. “The number one thing you learn is if somebody is beating around the bush,” he went on to sаy. “Everyone on these calls enjoys talking in circles. “I’m impatient.””It gets boring.”
Brown was astounded by Virgil Abloh’s artistic direction at the Louis Vuitton show during his first fashion week in Paris a few years back. Brown then introduced himself. “I got to talk with him for a little bit,” he says. “At the time, I was 20 years old, and having that experience was quite fantastic. I remember telling him, ‘You don’t know how many people you inspire. He inspired so many people around the world, especially those in the fashion industry.”
Over the years, Brown has surrounded himself with many of the fashion industry’s heavy hitters, including Steven Smith, the well-known shoe designer responsible for the New Balance 574, among other popular sneaker models; Kerby Jean-Raymond, the founder of Pyer Moss; Samuel Ross, the founder of the luxury menswear label A-COLD-WALL*; and Verbal and Yoon, the couple behind Tokyo-based AMBUSH.
Brown visited Tokyo for the first time this offseason, meeting with Verbal and Yoon. Of course, he did a lot of shopping. (After shopping at Dover Street Market in Ginza, Brown left with 88 items. “I set a record,” Brown says, laughing. “They took a picture of the receipt and said they’d display it on the wall. “The receipt extended from one end to the other.
While Brown says he’s still learning how to launch his own business, he’s gaining insight into the practical aspects of opening a retail location and digging into purposeful and statement-making design through conversations with new fashion acquaintances.
As athletes continue to combine athletics with fashion, Brown is approached by an increasing number of athletes, both young and old, seeking advice. “I went through a lot of ups and downs, a lot of bumps and bruises, and being on phone calls that led to nowhere,” said Brown. “Many guys approach me and inquire about my brand. I try to get them from point A to point B without them getting migraines like I did.”
Now more than ever, the Celtics star believes athletes should have a sаy in talks about how to influence others through design. “It’s been great for this prestigious world to combine with the world of basketball,” he says, noting that they weren’t always linked.
“Fashion is an art form and I’m constantly being inspired,” stated the fashion designer. “If you take the time to look around, you will see inspiration everywhere. There’s never been a better time to express yourself and what you stand for. I am constantly inspired by the world around me. We have a lot of fantastic creative people going over the world, and simply being around some of them has given me some great ideas, which will continue to do so in the future.”
Brown’s goals expand in unison with his reach.His mother, Mechalle, had always taught him the need of speaking up for those who do not have a platform to express themselves in public, but it wasn’t until college that he learned more about social justice advocacy. In 2020, following the deаth of George Floyd, Brown drove 15 hours home to join in a nonviolent demonstration against police viоlence in Georgia. He became one of modern sports’ most prominent champions for police reform.
Brown recently launched the 7uice Foundation, which has begun to provide educational opportunities for youngsters from low-income neighborhoods. Last year, Brown and teammates Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams met with Department of Justice officials to address social justice issues and criminal justice reform. One of the topics explored was how NBA players should continue to use their position to encourage cooperation, conversation, and help enact change.
After signing his record-breаking contract extension this summer, Brown addressed his desire to address America’s wealth disparities and find a way to launch a project that would bring what he refers to as a “Black Wall Street” to Boston.
He takes a few seconds to evaluate the question. It’s difficult to respond concisely; Brown clearly has a lot on his mind and a lot he wants to do. “There are a lot of goals,” he says, breаking the silence and hesitating again. “In short, I just want to make the world a better place.”