Salehe Bembury is moving full speed ahead into 2022.
The Anta, New Balance and Crocs collaborator (and Versace alum) is showing no signs of slowing down with his latest partnership, this time with Canada Goose.
This new collab is part of the outerwear brand’s multiyear partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and its annual All-Star celebration. Dubbed “Canada Goose & NBA Collection with Salehe Bembury,” the line explores ‘90s basketball culture in a four-piece unisex capsule.
The collection includes the outerwear brand’s signature Expedition Parka, which has been reimagined with an overstated Chenille hood trim and removable vest. The Concord Fleece is also updated for the drop with the bold pattern of Bembury’s signature all-over thumbprint design. Rounding out the capsule is the Signal Vest, which offers an exaggerated front hem, and the Tundra Bib featuring adjustable elastic suspenders and an interior drawcord. Each style features a co-branded Canada Goose and Salehe Bembury tonal disc and label highlighting Bembury’s signature thumbprint motif and the NBA logo, Canada Goose said in a statement.
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“The NBA significantly influenced my interest in design. Growing up watching games with my dad, and loving everything about ‘90s basketball culture, from the ’94 Knicks to ‘Space Jam’ and ‘The Fresh Prince,’” said Bembury in a statement. “The ‘90s were a time of fashion exploration, and that ethos is what I believe Canada Goose, the NBA and I have captured with this collection.”
“Salehe Bembury is one of the world’s most innovative designers of today and we are excited to work with him as this year’s design partner for the NBA All-Star 2022,” added Woody Blackford, EVP of product at Canada Goose. “Our NBA partnership has opened the door to bold new interpretations of the Canada Goose brand. This capsule combines the quality and function that Canada Goose is renowned for with the cultural richness of the NBA and Salehe’s boundless design approach.”
The 2022 NBA All-Star Game will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland as the league celebrates its 75th anniversary season.
This release comes after Bembury posted a teaser photo on Instagram of the new collab in late December. In the teaser photo, Bembury is seen wearing an olive green parka with dark grey trim on the hood.
Named FN’s Designer of the Year in 2020, Bembury has been taking to Instagram to tease the multitude of collaborations he’s launched this year – including his most recent collab with Crocs.
Bembury has kept Crocs fans on their toes for weeks prior to the Pollex clogs’ release on Dec. 14. The street style star previously teased the line throughout the fall season, revealing the Pollex’s dark green Cucumber and taupe Menemsha color ways in Instagram posts. There is also an undisclosed white color way that’s been crafted of the Pollex style, though its availability and release is unknown at this time.
The launch itself was not without a bit of controversy. According to some fans on social media and Bembury himself, bots swarmed the launch on the websites of Crocs and other retailers, delaying live shoppers from purchasing the Pollex clogs. Bembury ultimately returned to Instagram Stories to tell fans he was actively cancelling bot orders.
Instagram is also where Bembury turned to announce his departure from Versace late last year. After more than a decade of creating footwear for brands including Yeezy, Greats, Cole Haan and others, Bembury joined Versace in 2017, and most recently served as its VP of sneakers and men’s footwear.
