Licensing deals focused on hawking merch are becoming more passé for athletes, with names like Megan Rapinoe, Russell Westbrook, Allyson Felix and Raheem Sterling creating their own brands. “Labels like Westbrook’s Honor the Gift are full-line fashion companies, producing seasonal collections without using their founders’ names on a logo to attract fans,” writes Daniel Yaw-Miller for The Business of Fashion, adding, “It’s a new category of apparel startups that’s gaining investor interest too, as venture capital firms and large strategic retailers alike see potential in celebrity-backed e-commerce brands with a social impact angle.”
For his Honor the Gift brand’s new Summer 2022 collection, Russell Westbrook and company are giving fans wearable interpretations of the power of the color blue, particularly the variety of blue seen in oceanside areas of California. Westbrook wanted to pay homage to his new hometown, after being traded by the Washington Wizards to the L.A. Lakers in 2021. The collection, known under the moniker “The Coast,” takes personal cues from Westbrook’s own affinity for the ocean. This inspiration is carried out across a full collection of new pieces featuring graphic tees, bucket hats, and more.
The main colors used in the collection—blue, grey, and white—were specifically selected to conjure the feeling of being at the beach with a blue sky overhead. The new collection, which has been teased on Instagram and elsewhere in recent days, is slated to arrive on June 10.
Get a closer look at the Honor the Gift summer pieces via a section of Matthew Kavanagh-captured campaign shots here.
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Photo Credit: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com