Set in an exclusive house in Beverly Hills, Jordan Brand opened its doors up to introduce their new Fall '17 line. With a drone-flying overhead to capture the palatial mansion and its stunning surrounding views, I meet David Creech, VP of design outside the black garage doors at the front of the mansion. As he clicks to roll the doors up, we enter the start of the presentation. At the center of the garage sits a Ferrari and surrounding that, the new Fall '17 collection. Creech explains that the entire collection is inspired by the heritage of the Jordan Brand with the influence of, "Michael Jordan's style both on and off the court" but with it they’re creating, "A new design language."
The collection is made up of black and white, with red detailing on the bottoms of the drawstring to give that pop of color, with a, "Nod to the heritage of the brand", as Creech says he was, “Obsessing over every detail." Whilst the black and white, "Creates a cool statement, it’s a coveted color. Visually we are creating something different.”
They certainly are, seeing the pieces laid out next to each other, with white and black versions of the collection, with integrated white detailing on the black pieces, and vice versa on the white, and with the pops of red, we can see exactly where the Jordan Brand began, and exactly where it’s going. With it's futuristic lines, using new material, creating a new structure; whilst achieving their goal of creating a modern versatile take on athleisure wear.
The Fall '17 line has cleverly managed to incorporate the latest statement trend pieces, whilst still staying true to the brand. No more so than with the inclusion of the bomber jacket, once again using the wing lines, with a two-zipper detail that gives it a more stylized feel. Creech explains, “The jacket goes well with the joggers, it’s perfect for the gym to the street and is less loud with branding,”
Even the classic hoodie has had a slight reinvention, creating flat lines, interweaving the wing lines, makes it relevant, modern and in keeping with the new collection. With an innovative style and modern fit, they’ve scripted a new design, clearly giving us a feel of where the Jordan Brand is headed next.
Some of the pieces even feel like beautiful art installations, with their new airbrushed jacket. With the image of Michael Jordan airbrushed on the back in red we see its heritage in both the color and graphic, seamlessly showing where the brand has come from, whilst Creech is pushing forward with a new style of design.
The collection is versatile yet cohesive, all being as wearable for workout to after hours. Even their new 23 Tec long sleeved layered pullover uses material that’s both breathable and practical for the gym, but wouldn’t look out of place on the streets of LA, as Creech tells me, “We look to our consumer’s ecosystem, what music they’re listening to, how they style themselves, it gives us a more focused collection.”
In addition to the Fall '17 collection, the Jordan Brand has been able to branch out to areas they wouldn’t normally be able to, but with their recent collaborations with artists such as (Brian Donnelly) Kaws and rapper Don C, as well as PSNY, they've created a whole new world of opportunity that they wouldn’t be able to achieve without the collaborations of the artists they are working with.
Creech concludes, “Jordan Brand stands for greatness, and it’s our job to ensure everything we do matches that standard.” Indeed, Creech has undoubtedly created an inspired Fall '17 collection. Perfectly structured in form, giving it a truly modern feel, whilst never forgetting where the brand began.