Michigan designer unveils Detroit Pistons sports apparel collaboration

DETROIT (FOX 2) – The Detroit Pistons announced a new clothing collaboration with Michigan designer Desyrée Nicole, releasing some exclusive designs for a limited time.

“I’ve never done a collab before so what perfect way than to come home and do it,” said Nicole, the creative director of Todd Patrick.

There’s something magical about dreams coming full circle.

“Be diligent and consistent in your dreams, and your dreams work if you do,” she said.

If she looks familiar, there is a good reason why – starting with the fact she was a top contender on Season 2 of Netflix’s ‘Next in Fashion.”

Todd Patrick is the high-end menswear line she runs with her fiancee Gabriella.

“I didn’t go to school for fashion, I didn’t go to school for design,” she said. “I bootstrapped it. There’s a lot of information online.”

And yet, in a short period of time, their creations continue to bring new energy and inclusivity to runways.

“The journey is just as important as the destination,” she said.

This Oakland county native launched her brand only after setting her WNBA dreams aside. She was also a star basketball player for Eastern Michigan University.

On Saturday, Des and her team are getting ready to launch their first collaboration ever. And how appropriate, it’s with none other than the Detroit Pistons.

“For me it was just so amazing to witness it from a point of, ‘We trust you we trust your vision and we’re going to follow you through this,’” Nicole said.

Bilal Saeed, the vice president of brand and marketing for the Pistons, spoke about how the two came together.

“I invited her to a Pistons game and she let me know she had some things in the works that she was really excited about, including the Netflix premiere of Next in Fashion which she was on,” he said. “Before that even started, we were both like it would be awesome if we could find a way to work together.”

Take a look for yourself, this is the limited edition Detroit Pistons-Todd Patrick collection.

“You have just the blue-collar aesthetic of Detroit, and then just what I would see my pops wearing, my mom wearing, see my family wearing,” she said. “I think that’s where I feel like the city really breathes through the collection.”

Each piece represents a bit of Des, Detroit, and the Pistons, threaded together with a shared sense of community and culture.

“To have our T-shirts starting at the $50 price point, hoodies at $90 and this amazing jacket at $150, I just think in the sports merchandising space you aren’t going to get prices for this quality,” Saeed said.

The collection is available only at LCA from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.

For more information go to https://content.pistons.com/promo/.

Michigan designer Desyrée Nicole

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