“Start off this interview by saying I know they’re killing me in the studio with my pants, but they’re just mad they can’t pull it off.”
– Dwyane Wade at the post-game press conference the day he wore hot pink pants during the Indiana Pacers series
You think Dwyane Wade rocking those pink pants was an oh-what-the-heck-let’s-try-it fashion moment?
Think again.
When Wade worked it – doing his best catwalk sashay – at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse just before the big win against the Pacers last month wearing those Technicolor trousers, it was the result of careful color calculation.
Clearly.
Often swathed in Tom Ford, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Kleinand accessorized with brands such as L.A. Eyeworks, big baller Wade works with stylistCalyann Barnett (Shaggy, Matt Damon, Tyrese Gibson) who also accompanied the haute hoopster when he took in the YSL, Givenchy and Vuitton fashion shows in Paris last year with Kanye West, Idris Elba and Usher.
To find out just how much fashion forethought goes into the Wade wardrobe – after all, he was voted MVP of fashion by his teammates and is dating Hollywood actress Gabrielle Union – I caught up with Barnett for a quick Q&A:
How much influence does Dwyane have on his wardrobe?
“Dwyane and I begin working on his look at the beginning of the season, deciding the direction he wants to go. Sometimes it’s more casual. This year it’s been more suits.”
How much does he leave it to you?
“After four years he trusts me. I give him both a casual look and a more formal look. For home games he tends to be more relaxed. But I give him both.”
Are you two having conversations all year long or do you go with that directive at the beginning of the year?
“We’re always tweaking it. Fashion changes so we’re going to change. And he has so many people following [his fashion] that we have to keep changing it.”
Do you have a budget or is it limitless?
“I have definitely have a budget. Of course I can’t discuss it, but it is a set budget that we have for the year. No one wants to be that person who spent all their money on clothes. Everyone thinks he hasn’t worn the same outfit twice. That’s the point of having a stylist…to take the looks and mix it up.”
Where in South Florida do you pull clothing for him?
“Neiman Marcus, Merrick Park, the Webster in South Beach and Atrium, that’s also in South Beach. I’m also getting stuff from New York. We’re in constant communication back and forth with New York.”
What is Dwyane into right now fashion-wise?
“Right now he’s big on eyewear. He loves his eyewear. He likes double-breasted blazers. And he’s very big on color; pinks and purples. Not many guys can pull that off. So it’s fun to play with that and it can’t be copied. He’s always ahead of the curve and we want to keep it that way.”
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