Victor Wembanyama has agreed to become a 7-foot-4 walking billboard for one of his native country’s most celebrated fashion labels, Louis Vuitton.
The 170-year-old company named the 20-year-old Frenchman its newest ambassador this week, although it’s not their first collaboration.
Louis Vuitton previously designed a wrapped double-breasted deep-green suit for Wembanyama to wear to the 2023 NBA Draft in Brooklyn, where he was selected with the first-overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs.
‘I think it was well worth it, because it’s definitely the best suit of this year’s draft, and also the past years, in my opinion,’ he told GQ. ‘It was just beautiful. And now it’s all coming together.’
Since then, Wembanyama has made a number of fashion statements, including his creepy Slender Man costume for Halloween.
Victor Wembanyama has agreed to become a 7-foot-4 walking billboard for Louis Vuitton
Victor Wembanyama appears in his double-breasted deep green suit at the 2023 NBA Draft
But in partnering with LV, Wembanyama is hoping to highlight the best of his beloved France.
‘To me, it’s the best,’ he said GQ. ‘It’s the best partner I can think of.
‘I wanted a meaningful partnership,’ he continued. ‘To me it made a lot of sense to partner with LV—you know, French excellence. The expertise is something that I feel very much attracted to.
‘I mean, back in the day, I couldn’t even imagine partnering with LV one day. It would’ve been crazy. I don’t even know about other countries, but in France it’s huge. It’s the biggest brand for young people.’
Wembanyama’s compensation hasn’t been reported, but dollar figures aside, Louis Vuitton has clearly attached itself to one of the brightest young stars in sports.
The Spurs sensation leads rookies in scoring (20.5 points a game), rebounding (10), and blocks (3.2), while seemingly improving month to month.
For instance, after making just 27.3 percent of his 3-point attempts in November, Wembanyama has drained an impressive 43.8 percent in February as opponents have been forced to defend him on the perimeter.
Of course, clothing himself as a rookie in San Antonio hasn’t been easy thanks to a 210-pound frame that makes Kevin Durant look like the Incredible Hulk by comparison.
And it’s not just his wiry frame that presents a challenge for designers. In recent years, basketball players have gone from baggy clothes to form-fitting ensembles, which is where Louis Vuitton comes in.
‘Over the years there’s been plenty of different styles and some that are really, really outdated now in the league,’ Wembanyama said. ‘I mean, I remember LeBron’s draft suit was so baggy. It was cool back then, but now it is just funny.’
Victor Wembanyama shows off a blazer-short combo from LV before a game against the Heat
Wembanyama wore a black suit with gray spandex for his Slender Man outfit on October 31
So instead of picking through Tim Duncan’s second-hand wardrobe, Wembanyama is paying close attention to Pharrell Williams’ collections with Louis Vuitton, which have already drawn his interest.
‘I’ve been watching the collections, the events, and there’s always stuff that sticks out to me,’ he said. ‘I mean, I really love the puffer jacket with all the little squares. I love this one, so I actually got to get this one.’
In fact, as he told GQ, Wembanyama is eyeing a pair of Pharrell’s Cowboy boots, which would certainly be appropriate for San Antonio.
Normally someone requesting size-20 boots from a limited collection would be severely disappointed, but now that Wembanyama is a brand ambassador, such requests are suddenly quite feasible.
‘I couldn’t even imagine getting a pair of those before,’ he said. ‘I don’t even know if that size exists. It’s got to be custom.’
