Men’s clothing store Beverly Hills, Malibu Clothes and Matt Barnes, former Los Angeles Clippers bad boy and Memphis Grizzlies’ new Small Forward partnered for the 2015 NBA season. Throughout the season, Malibu Clothes’s Ian Firestone and celebrity stylist Brandon Williams worked together to style the look. Matt’s game day in addition to dressing him for the red carpet. Matt has become a brand ambassador for Malibu Apparel, whose goal is to “fit every man for every occasion” and they wanted to convey that message through a new ad campaign featuring the man himself.
Although the tattooed star player is known for being tough on the court, Matt Barnes was recently featured in Jack Victor Centennial Coffee Table’s Men of Style section and it is obvious that he’s redefining what men’s fashion means for the professional sports industry.
Around the time of the playoffs, in April, Malibu Outfit and Matt Barnes unveiled The Barnes collection. That Barnes collection is a collection of Suits and Sport Coats designed by Ian, Brandon and Matt, with a modern fit for the young professional. The fabrics used in this collection are all from Loro Piana.
But why did Malibu Clothes choose to partner with Matt? According to the brand, they feel she is the best representation of their image. From UCLA graduate, former member of the Los Angeles Clippers, and now a new Small Forward to the Memphis Grizzlies, Matt is taken into account among the best performing athletes in the NBA. Malibu clothing has become the shop of choice for athletes and they’ve served everybody from Michael Jordan to Muhammad Ali to Willie Mayes. And now, they’re reintroducing the brand to suit the modern athlete’s style. What’s even more incredible about this pair is the undeniable fact that Matt has rocked Malibu Clothing for all his everyday looks and red carpet functions. Now athletes appear to be taking on new roles in the realm of fashion and even designing their own looks. Considering the recent fashion debuts of athletes like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Dwyane Wade, the desire to push conventional boundaries is making headlines. Athletes are more and more liberating themselves, wearing colours, patterns, and custom cuts that are unique to previous generations of pro athletes yet dared to go public. Yes, perhaps some clothing choices face more scrutiny in the public eye than others, but the way these athletes generally take such criticism is nothing short of awe.
No matter where you look at it, there’s nothing better than an elite athlete in an elite suit. Matt clearly has a tremendous eye for design and it seems the folks at Malibu Clothing have all the expertise to bring the design to life. Hats off to the Barnes Collection, we absolutely love it.
