It’s not easy for one of the most iconic trophies in team sports to be overshadowed, but it happened Sunday night in the NBA bubble in Orlando. During the traditional presentation of the Larry O’Brien Trophy, which is presented to the newly crowned NBA champions, all eyes in that NBA bubble turned away from that gold-plated hunk of metal and turned toward what it was transported in: a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted, Louis Vuitton trunk. Judging by the TV ratings for the NBA Finals, by Thursday of this week most people will have forgotten or never even have known which teams played in this series, but there isn’t anyone who was in the bubble live or watching on ABC who will be able to shake the image of that bespoke trophy case that is as unique as LeBron James’s skill set.
It’s all part of the multi-year partnership Louis Vuitton signed with the NBA in January PC (Pre-Coronavirus), which made LV the league’s very first Official Travel Case Provider. Here’s what Mark Tatum, the NBA deputy commissioner and COO, said back when the deal was struck: “The NBA Finals is defined by iconic players and memorable performances, culminating with the presentation of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The tradition, heritage and identity of Louis Vuitton create a natural synergy with the NBA, and this partnership provides a unique and befitting way to showcase our championship trophy to our fans around the world.”
The next phase in the Louis Vuitton and NBA partnership was announced Monday morning, when LV unveiled the menswear collection they collaborated on with the league, which features a full wardrobe of clothing divided into three sections: Travels and Transits, a key area of the whole Vuitton DNA, which features gray cashmere tracksuits with a basketball-player graphic; Game Arrivals, which includes a blue hooded leather jacket, monogram jeans and T-shirts; and finally, Press Conference, with tailored suits and dress shirts.
You now have no excuse to not look good walking into the Y for your lunch-hour pickup game and press conference! The LV x NBA collection goes on sale on Nov. 20.
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