Inspired by Kawhi’s love of the outdoors, ‘Nature of the Game’ blends fashion and function
Boston, MA – April 30, 2021 – Today, global athletic leader New Balance and Team NB Athlete Kawhi Leonard officially reveal Nature of the Game, a line of apparel inspired by Kawhi’s love of the outdoors.
The collection, which includes a jacket, game pant, utility short and long and short sleeve t-shirts all in a variety of colorways, draws inspiration from classic, rugged style and taps into Kawhi’s affinity for fishing and his love of the outdoors. In many ways, nature mirrors Kawhi’s game. Kawhi’s roots are planted in the game of basketball and he grows as each game progresses. Since Kawhi entered the league his game has grown and continues to blossom, like nature, with hard work and perseverance. With this is in mind, colors found in nature lead the way in this line, from muted greens and blues to subtle habanero orange accents.
The polywoven jacket, offered in green, features a low collar and woven New Balance logo patch on the chest reminscient of patches typically found on hiking packs. This patch is also woven on the game pant, which is available in the same green colorway as the jacket. The utility short is offered in both green and a printed camo.
Short and long sleeve graphic t-shirts round out the collection and feature a variety of printed images that mimic the patches found on the jacket and pant. The images on the left chest, include a “Camp KL2” logo featuring Kawhi’s feet extending out of a tent and a “TWO WXY” design paying tribute to Kawhi’s status as one of the best two way players in basketball. Finally, “Explore The Game” appears on the right chest of the long sleeve above a silhouette of Kawhi dribbling against a series of mountains.
New Balance worked closely with Kawhi and his creative directors Clayton & Chris Griggs, more commonly known as The Griggs Brothas, to create a line that mixes performance and style and is authentic to Kawhi.
“Nature of the Game gave us an opportunity to really tell Kawhi’s story through apparel for the first time,” says Dave Kent, Associate Product Manager for Hoops at New Balance. “Whether it’s the subtle nods to Kawhi’s personality in the woven patches on the long sleeve or the thoughtful accents of NB and KL2 branding, we’re excited to give fans a one-of-a-kind, versatile look that blends fashion and function.”
Nature of the Game will be available starting May 1st on www.newbalance.com with suggested retail pricing of $120 for the jacket ($125 for the printed camo), $90 for the game pant, $70 for the utility short, $45 for the long sleeve tee and $35 for the short sleeve tee.
About New Balance
New Balance Athletics, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns and operates four factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs more than 6,000 associates around the globe and in 2020 reported worldwide sales of $3.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.
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