Dwyane Wade First Pkwy Lifestyle Sock Line to be Sold at Target
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Dwyane Wade may have hung up his game sneakers at the end of last season, but he’s still focused on some fancy footwork.
The former basketball star this week is releasing the first seasonal lifestyle collection for his Pkwy sock brand — and it’s been picked up by Target for a nationwide rollout.
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The hoopster started working with Stance, a premium sock manufacturer, in 2013 when he became the first NBA athlete to represent the company and co-create a collection carrying his name.
In February 2018, they worked together to create the first Pkwy products, which offered officially licensed team socks for the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. Now the collection has been expanded into an offering intended to link art, fashion, music and sports. Called Pkwy by Dwyane Wade, the collection includes 18 styles in three colors.
The athlete said starting with the NBA and MLB licensed merchandise was a “foot in the door,” for the brand. “But we’re now taking the step we always wanted to take, to get to a bigger stage,” Wade told WWD. He said he was especially “pumped” about getting the collection into Target because it will allow more people to be exposed to the line.
“This will take it to another lane,” he said.
He said the collection will continue to be priced competitively, with a three-pack selling for $9.99. “Stance socks sell at a very premium price point, but that’s only 29 percent of the market. Why not create something for the other 71 percent?” he said.
Wade said he will be the face of the brand for its launch, but “hopefully you’ll see other faces” in the future. “But as you’re launching a company, you want to put an imprint on the first collection,” he said.
The lifestyle collection will be sold in the men’s department of Target as well as at specialty stores and online at the Pkwy e-commerce site. After the initial launch, the plan is to introduce smaller, monthly capsules that will include collaborations and limited releases.
“I’ve always loved socks as a fashion statement, because they add a true layer of personality to your style,” Wade said. “Pkwy is the evolution of a great partnership with Stance and it is amazing to partner with a national retailer like Target.”
Looking ahead, Wade said he hopes to continue to expand the offering, and maybe one day make the jump into apparel. “But I’m going to be patient,” he said.
In the meantime, he said he’s been keeping busy with a number of projects including D Wade Cellars, his wine manufacturing partnership with California vintner Jason Pahlmeyer, and his recently inked deal with TNT and Warner Media to serve as an on-air commentator for NBA and college basketball programming. Add to that his 11-month-old daughter Kaavia James with wife Gabrielle Union and he’s probably busier now than when he was playing.
“I’ve retired from the game of basketball, but I haven’t retired at all,” he said.
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