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The connection between fashion and basketball is about to get a lot stronger. The NBA All-Star Game, taking place at Madison Square Garden during New York fashion week, brings plenty of events connecting the NBA with NYFW. First, we heard of the cocktail party hosted by Russell Westbrook and Barneys, then came Westbrook’s appearances with True Religion, followed by the announcement that Carmelo Anthony would wear Zegna during NYFW and All-Star events, in addition to appearing in an ad for the brand and Bergdorf Goodman. Today’s news might be the most unexpected yet: ’Melo is hosting a tech panel at Milk, Kanye West is performing with Kevin Durant at the Flatiron Pedestrian Plaza, and LeBron James is organizing a fashion show. Yes, you read that right: a LeBron James fashion show.
Let’s start there. James, partnering with Turner Sports and IMG, is orchestrating a runway show of NBA athletes, models, and fashion insiders that will be taped at the Hammerstein Ballroom this Friday and aired on TNT at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The show is reportedly organized like a competition, with players walking the runway with models and stylists, and eliminations occurring after each walk until a victor is decided. (Think America’s Next Top Model meets Project Runway with a side of SportsCenter.) Players confirmed to walk include DeMarcus Cousins, James Harden, Zach LaVine, and Chandler Parsons, while models Erin Heatherton, Chanel Iman, and Shanina Shaik will also take the runway. Shaquille O’Neal is emceeing, and Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, WNBA player Elena Delle Donne, designer John Elliott, and GQ style editor Will Welch will serve as judges. The best part? Each walk will be themed…and the categories are: dressing for the boardroom, for a night out, and for the big game. The biggest crime here—other than the show’s airing competing with the Alexander Wang show—is that Walt Frazier is not involved.
Downtown at MADE Fashion Week at Milk, Carmelo Anthony is highlighting the latest wearable tech with Intel, Accenture, Moondial, and Pigalle designer Stéphane Ashpool. De La Soul will also perform, if workout bracelets that sync to the cloud aren’t your thing. Musically, there’s also Kanye’s concert with Kevin Durant on February 12—the same day as his Adidas presentation—organized by Roc Nation. The concert is taking place at 8 p.m. and will be live-streamed so that you don’t have to miss the fashion week action that night.
