It's Checkmate for NAMESAKE and Jaylen Brown's "Intellectual Club" Capsule
The Taiwanese streetwear label and the NBA All-Star’s 7uice imprint have designed a 31-piece collection inspired by the duality of chess.
Taiwanese fashion brand NAMESAKE is known for mixing basketball culture with high-end streetwear. Over the years, the hoops-inspired label has put out “Home Court” collections nodding to star athletes like “Pistol” Pete Maravich and staged runways exploring the concept of time through the lens of the game. Now, the imprint has linked with NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown’s sportswear brand 7uice for a 31-piece collection that bridges fashion, athletics, and community titled “Intellectual Club.”
However, despite both parties’ affinity for basketball, the duo’s fashion manifesto references the duality of a chess game: “black and white, offense and defense, power and patience.” Much like the age-old strategy game, the collection’s motifs, textiles, and patterns are particularly intentional. “Every piece is a move, and every detail: a calculated gesture,” said the brand.
Across the lineup, the pair reimagine performance pieces and athletic shapes with elevated subversions. Among the standouts, a sailor jacket transforms with dimensional pleats; zip-up jackets boast origami-like folds on their gatherings, and varsity jackets employ noticeably big sleeves. Subtle grid patterns are woven into linen blends, pineapple leaf fibers, and thick wool textiles, nodding to quintessential chess boards.
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Notably, the collection debuted during Paris Fashion Week in June of last year when 7uice flew East Coast basketball players to the 19th arrondissement for a game against a local Parisian team. The line sits within NAMESAKE’s “Offshore” collaborative chapter, which founding brothers Steve and Michael created as a “love letter” to their eldest brother, Richard.
The NAMESAKE x 7uice “Intellectual Club” collection is now available to shop online and in select retailers. Prices range from $80 USD to $780 USD. Take a look at the range in the gallery above.
