Don C has officially been tapped as Mitchell & Ness’ creative director of Premium Products.
According to a press release shared with AfroTech, the streetwear designer is officially joining the sportswear company’s team after many years of collaboration.
“Don is truly an icon and visionary, and after having worked with him for many years we’re ecstatic to have him formally join the Mitchell & Ness family,” said Kevin Wulff, CEO of Mitchell & Ness. “Fans of the brand can look forward to exciting new products across all leagues that will fuse the brand’s heritage with Don C’s cutting-edge creative vision.”
Don C The Visionary
As the founder of the “Just Don” brand, Don C has always had a way of expressing his love for fashion through unique designs. Now, he aims to bring that same creativity to the sportswear industry.
“I’ve come up in the apparel and music industry, but I always wanted to add sports to those cultures,” Don C explained in a press release. “I feel like sports are a unifier and industries such as fashion sometimes are exclusive, so sports always just welcomes people. It’s a key aspect of what I try to bring to the table — adding some type of sports aesthetic to the community.”
The New Role
In his role with Mitchell & Ness, the renowned designer will lead collaborations with some of the nation’s leading sports organizations, including the NBA and MLB.
The moment is full circle as his first partnership with the company began in 2011, when they worked together to release a line of his luxury Just Don hats.
What's To Come
Since then, Don C has brought other collections to life alongside Mitchell & Ness, including “NBA Jam” and “No Name.” Now, he aims to uphold the company’s current values within the sportswear space, while bringing his innovative Don C flavor to the forefront.
“Sportswear is a medium of inclusion, so we’re definitely going to be doing a lot of things that I think normal sportswear brands don’t do,” he said. “Touching on the creatives of various cultures and celebrating the world, celebrating our differences in the world and shining a light on key figures that normally don’t get that light shined on them.”
As previously reported by AfroTech, Mitchell & Ness was acquired for $250 million in February 2022. In addition to Fanatics, Michael Rubin’s online sports company, investments included Jay-Z, Maverick Carter, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, and D’Amelio family. Fanatics owns 75% of Mitchell & Ness, while the other investors own 25%, according to The New York Times.
