Throughout his illustrious career, LeBron James has expanded his influence from the world of sports to become a pop culture icon. Let’s admire the classy fashion style of “King” James through the following article with ELLE Man.Holding a solid position among the most outstanding athletes ever to appear in the history of the sports world, LeBron James has always been the darling of the giant Nike, as well as a name that is eagerly sought after in all fields. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that the position of “King” James has long gone beyond the realm of the world sports village and has become one of the symbols of American popular culture.
Photo: Jaime Valdez, USA Today
Besides an illustrious career decorated with 4 NBA championship rings as well as a series of different titles and records, fashion style is also an important element in LeBron James’ “brand identity”.
Lebron James celebrates the NBA championship with his teammates at LA Lakers. Photo: CBS
However, despite always being sought after by a series of big and small fashion brands, the style of “King” James is not monotonous or influenced by the hypebeast trend like his younger colleagues. On the contrary, each outfit of LeBron James bears the mark of a stylish fashion sense and together form the iconic image of one of the most outstanding players in the world of sports.
1. Sneaker game – the foundation of LeBron James’ style
Not only does LeBron James own one of the most sought-after Nike sneaker lines, he also has a diverse sneaker collection, from extremely hyped special editions to extremely iconic designs that are considered classics in the culture of the ground, such as the LeBron 8 “South Beach” or LeBron 9 “Watch the Throne”.
LeBron James on his feet wearing the LeBron 9 and 11 sneakers in the “Watch The Throne” colorway – one of the legendary colorways of the basketball shoe line named after him
However, one of the special things that the writer quite likes about LeBron James is the tone-sur-tone of his sneakers and other items in his outfit. No matter how hyped a special version is, “King” James always knows how to “play” to create a harmonious whole.
LeBron James himself once shared that “I always start my outfit by picking out a pair of shoes I like first, and then color-coordinate them accordingly. It’s been a habit of mine since I was a kid.” So it’s not an exaggeration to say that sneakers are the foundation that forms the unique fashion style of cultural icon LeBron James.
Even when wearing hyped versions like Air Force 1 x VLON or Air Jordan 4 x OFF-WHITE, Lebron James always knows how to make sneakers blend into the overall tone of the outfit.
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2. Suits – the lever that creates class
If sportswear style and sneakers are the foundation for LeBron James’ fashion style from the beginning, then tailored suits are the lever that brings “King” James’ image to a new level.
Photo: Lachlan Cunningham
Possessing a beautiful physique with a solid body and a height of 2m6, LeBron James seems to be a dream model for tailor-made suits with perfect shapes. Not only highlighting James’ class and superstar charisma, the suits chosen by LeBron are also proof of his sophistication but also full of innovation in fashion sense.
In the realm of suits, Thom Browne is definitely James’s true love. Photo: JESSE D. GARRABRANT
From pairing classic suit designs with modern LeBron sneakers to choosing innovative cropped suits or even Thom Browne ‘s signature shorts , LeBron always knows how to make himself stand out while still maintaining the elegance of a gentleman and the class of a superstar.
Even when cheering on your teammates, you have to look stylish in a Thom Browne suit and Converse x OFF-WHITE. Photo: Getty Images
3. From streetwear to luxury fashion
After following Lebron James for a while, the writer can confirm that the LA Lakers superstar is one of the fashion icons capable of blending streetwear and luxury fashion in the most harmonious way.
LeBron James in an outfit that blends the ruggedness of streetwear with the elegance of high-end items such as trousers, printed turtleneck sweaters, and accents from the Nike x Tom Sachs “Mars Yard 2.0.” Photo: instagram @kingjames
In modern fashion, the line between street fashion and high fashion is gradually being blurred, and combining these two schools on the same outfit is no longer strange. However, to be able to create a synthesis combining typical items from high-end brands such as Goyard , Louis Vuitton , Dior or Thom Browne with Nike’s sporty designs, while still highlighting the value and spirit of both schools like LeBron James, not many people can do it.
The colors in LeBron’s outfits are always mixed and matched extremely harmoniously.
Perhaps always knowing how to make the most of his physical beauty, combining sophisticated accessories and the habit of coordinating clothes that emphasize tone sur tone rather than being as ostentatious as possible, has helped “King” James form a unique and standard fashion sense, worthy of the status of an icon in popular culture.
An impressive outfit with a color scheme inspired by the Nike x Sacai pair and the presence of a denim kimono design. Photo: Getty Images
4. Collaboration – LeBron James’s signature colors
With a top-notch fashion style and a personal brand worth millions of dollars, it is no surprise that LBbron James is always sought after by fashion brands. In addition, James’ love for fashion can also be seen as a catalyst for his outstanding collaboration projects in the fashion industry.
The “Long Live The King” Sneaker Collection with 3 extremely cool colorways on the Nike LeBron 15 shoe model was launched by the KITH brand in 2017. Photo: KITH
LeBron James has made fashionistas excited many times with his collaborations with streetwear brands such as KITH and John Elliott. To conclude today’s article, let’s take a look at some of the collections that have made waves from “King” James and streetwear brands.
Following the success of the first collection, the partnership between LeBron James and Ronnie Fieg of KITH has continued to bring a complete fashion collection focusing on Nike LeBron shoes with luxurious color schemes and royal floral motifs – true to LeBron’s nickname King James. Photo: KITH
Photo: KITH
Photo: KITH
LeBron James made a surprise appearance on KITH’s debut runway at New York Fashion Week 2017. Photo: KITH
In 2015, LeBron James also unexpectedly announced a collaboration with John Elliott (left) – a designer who was creating a lot of buzz at that time. Photo: Getty Images
The design called “Icon” in collaboration between John Elliott and LeBron James was highly sought after when it was first released in 2015-2016. Up to now, the new colorways of this shoe line are still very popular with fashionistas.
Some outstanding colorways of the Icon sneaker line, a collaboration between John Elliott and LeBron James
