It’s been nearly 10 years since Russell Westbook launched his streetwear-inspired collection Honor the Gift.
The NBA star was already established as one of the league’s style setters, collaborating with True Religion, Nike’s Jordan brand and Barneys New York, when he decided to branch out on his own.
Westbrook, who came from humble beginnings, named the collection after his motto and his belief that everyone has been given a gift and should honor and embrace it.
The point guard launched Honor the Gift at a pop-up in Oklahoma City, Okla., in 2017, offering unisex pieces inspired by his sporty style and targeted to inner-city youth. At the time he was playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but he’s now with the Sacramento Kings.
His goal a decade ago — and now — is to create fashionable yet accessibly priced streetwear. He serves as creative director and chief designer and has personally bankrolled the brand, which is now carried in some 300 stores including Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. It also operates a flagship on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles.
To celebrate his 10th anniversary milestone, Westbrook will host a private cocktail party in Paris on Thursday, when he also will showcase the spring collection.
In an interview prior to the event, Westbrook said that while it may be the off-season for the NBA, he is “always working, working, working” at his off-the-court businesses, which include a charitable organization and his Honor the Gift collection.
He said he’s proud that his line has made it a decade, but he never doubted it had staying power. “I’ve always felt that it would last if it was done right,” he said. “I still have a lot of work to do, but I wanted to create a quality brand that connected with a community that couldn’t afford high-end clothing. I also wanted it to be fresh so they could be confident in what they’re wearing. I always felt there was a way to connect people through fashion.”
Over the years, Westbrook said the brand’s graphic T-shirts have been the most popular product and have become the “cornerstone” of the business. Fleece has also been a strong seller. “And we elevate it each season,” he said.
Current prices range from $65 for a logo T-shirt and $130 for a camp collar shirt to $110 for a color-blocked polo, $145 for denim Bermuda shorts and $195 for a hoodie.
He said that while his fans are among the brand’s customers, Honor the Gift appeals to a wide range of people. “That’s the way I try to position the brand,” he said, “to connect with everyone, not just my fans. I think that’s a plus because I have a younger generation of kids that don’t have to buy expensive clothing to look cool, so I connect with that crowd as well.”
Westbrook, now 37, said that 10 years in, Honor the Gift has evolved, but its core values remain the same. “As I’ve gotten older, I see culture and fashion a little bit differently, and what works and what doesn’t work,” he said, so the brand has “definitely changed, but it stays true to who we are.”
He said the spring collection he will preview in Paris is dedicated to the 10th anniversary and he expects to unveil some collaborations in the next year. In the past, he has partnered with Jordan brand, Clot, Union Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Rams and others.
He credited his strong support system at the brand as being key to its success. “I have a lot of support,” he said. “But I’m also very diligent in my work. I really want to make sure I’m doing everything I need to do to make sure it’s successful. This is not just a passive product project for me. This is my job. I’ve been in fashion for a long time and I want to make sure that I’m checking off every box that needs to be checked off.”
So where does Westbrook see Honor the Gift 10 years from now?
“We’re based in Los Angeles, but I think it has the potential to lead the way globally and [encourage people] to honor their gifts.”
He added that his goal is to continue to create collections that will have a connection to the community. “The way our society is growing, people are self-conscious and I want to be able to make clothes that can help people feel like confident,” he said.
