Chicago native and basketball aficionado Don C has teamed up with the official champagne of the NBA, Moët and Chandon, in a partnership that embodies the winning combo of sports, fashion and luxury. No stranger to the basketball or fashion world as the Creative Strategy & Design Advisor for the Chicago Bulls, the Just Don founder has long been revered for his luxury streetwear label that has graced the wardrobes of cultural icons like Rihanna and Jay-Z.
The latest collab with French champagne brand Moët and Chandon presents a limited-edition bottle design that reimagines the House’s iconic Impérial Brut and Nectar Impérial Rosé offerings, as well as an NBA-inspired custom hoodie. The capsule collection represents a whimsical take on the game of basketball fused with both the House’s and Don C’s passion for living life large.
Sports fans who have followed Don C’s mark on the convergence of the streetwear and luxury industries will surely appreciate his latest endeavor that places the NBA at the forefront of the cultural zeitgeist. This comes shortly after the Don C x Chicago Bulls eight-piece collection hit the market, the first clothing line to be released since Don C’s appointment to the Creative Strategy & Design Advisor.
Now you can toast to the Bulls in style come next season, from either your couch or the stadium. But first, we sat down with the fashion force himself to hear more about the inspiration behind the collab.
Tell us a little bit more about your streetwear and sports apparel brand Don C and how being a Chicago native has played a role in its evolution.
Chicago inspires everything that comes from my brand and everything that we do. Chicago’s streets molded us as people, as creatives, and as purveyors of culture, so we take that inspiration to deliver a product that will make people from both Chicago and around the world feel proud. In my craft, my hope is to highlight how Chicago has been able to fuse into and influence the different realms of culture. I hope that my work can be a blueprint for the younger generation to take it to the next level.
What inspired your partnership with Moët and Chandon and how has your relationship grown over the years?
My relationship with Moët & Chandon has really grown and evolved over the years, from when it started back in 2019 as a partner in their Nectar of Culture Champagne, to now having the incredible honor to collaborate alongside them on something I am so passionate about.
One of the values that Moët & Chandon and I share is the desire to always deliver a high-quality product, whether in fashion or champagne, to the marketplace. We also place a lot of value in community, a quality that makes our partnership so meaningful. Moët & Chandon is a champagne that drives togetherness and that is what I am all about – bringing people together in celebration of life, art, and culture.
What are some unique aspects of this limited-edition NBA collection?
A unique aspect of the limited-edition NBA collection comes back to the fusion of sport and luxury. I was inspired and driven to bring a modern, basketball-centric twist to the collection. I played around with a few different graphics concepts and ultimately settled on the different NBA Teams displayed on the bottles of Moët & Chandon’s iconic Impérial Brut and Nectar Impérial Rosé. Another incredible part of the collaboration I love is the limited-edition hoodies. For my brand, we always pay attention to the most intricate details, so that was top-of-mind for me when creating the hoodie–making sure that we are delivering excellence.
How has your love for the Chicago Bulls influenced the design/branding for this collection?
My love for the Chicago Bulls, and basketball in general, and luxury items is the fusion that makes this marriage so fun. Collaborations like this are what will keep this intersection of cultures at the forefront of people’s minds, and I am excited to bring together two worlds that mean so much to me personally. As seen through their partnership with the NBA, Moët & Chandon paints the picture of cultural relevance, while maintaining their luxury and centuries-old heritage.
How are you celebrating all of your major accomplishments from just the past few months?
It’s incredibly important to me to take the time to step back and celebrate those big (and small) accomplishments and extraordinary moments. My ideal celebration is being surrounded by family and friends, sharing a glass or two of Moët & Chandon.
Photography by: Moët & Chandon and NBA Collection by Just Don
