LeBron James Brought His Favorite Thom Browne Suit Back
On Monday, LeBron James cut the ribbon on I Promise, his Akron school for 240 third- and fourth-graders. It was a big deal! I Promise is designed to go the extra mile for at-risk students, providing a longer school day, extracurricular support, eventual free college tuition, and a bicycle, among other things. (The school also features a pretty killer display of LeBron's signature Nikes.) It was the latest example of the King refusing to shut up and dribble.
It only made sense for LeBron to dress for the occasion. James has spent the last few years dialing in his personal style, and with serious results: when we asked readers to choose the most stylish man in the NBA, James won in a walk, handily dispatching serious competitors like James Harden and Russell Westbrook. But James's typical style leans toward streetwear: acid-washed Gucci jeans, advanced hats, and some serious heat on his feet, courtesy of Nike. Not exactly first-day-of-school material. So LeBron went formal, rocking a light-grey Thom Browne suit, white dress shirt, and his sharpest frames. Not too formal, though—he went for what I'll call a "relatable principal" vibe, ditching the tie and wearing a pair of black and white sneakers from, per our pals at UpscaleHype, the high-fashion folks at Lanvin.
Two things here. First, we've seen this suit before. Way back before he signed with the Lakers, you'll recall, LeBron kitted out his then-teammates on the Cavaliers with custom Thom Browne suits. Everyone looked—what's the technical term?—incredible, even if the suits didn't help Cleveland bring home another Larry O'Brien trophy. And while LeBron just inked a $154 million contract in Los Angeles, he knows the value provided by a killer grey suit—so much so that he seems to still be wearing his. (Of course, if this is an entirely new grey suit, then LeBron's learned a lesson the rest of us should copy: when you find something you look great in, buy a dozen of it.) Second: James understands the vagaries of fit. Thom Browne's suits are known for their slim-and-trim fit, with pants that barely graze guys' shins. LeBron isn't just any dude; he's a 6'8" marble sculpture. So a regular TB rig won't quite cut it. And you'll notice that this...isn't that. It fits: the jacket is slim but not tiny, and the pants are healthily cropped, not clamdiggers. All helpful stuff to learn, or just to be reminded of. And best of all: the students at I Promise will learn more important lessons than these in the school year to come.
