The contest? Create a design, pitch it to a Pacers player and make the outfit all by hand.
Source: WTHR
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers star Aaron Nesmith stepped out of the tunnel at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this month showcasing the talent of an Indiana University student.
He wore a "tunnel fit" she designed.
Jenna Reed won a contest for up-and-coming fashion designers and got to be a part of a pregame ritual that's akin to a runway in the NBA.
Before showing off skill on the court, it's all about style: Pacers walking the tunnel, cameras capturing every moment, every outfit they wear.
"And there's no sport that has a bigger impact than basketball within that," said stylist and fashion designer Daniel Solomon. "You show up feeling good, looking good, a little swaggy, you're ready to go!"
It's why Solomon, an IU alum, started the Fashion Within Sports competition a few years ago, for students to get in on the game and get hands-on experience.
The contest?
Create a design, pitch it to a Pacers player and make the outfit all by hand.
"Throwing a student into the fire like that and them actually seeing they can be successful, it's just an incredible experience," Solomon said.
Reed is an IU senior, double majoring in fashion design and advertising. She said winning the competition is helping to launch her brand to a larger audience.
"It really has put me on the pedestal to show what I can do, to whoever's watching," Reed said. "Seeing it on a large scale just gives me so much excitement for my future."
Her design proposal was detailed and personal for Nesmith.
"Our professors always emphasize having a story to tell, to try to pitch your idea to make it sell," Reed said. "So I was, like, researching, 'Who is he?' I need inspiration. I need to connect with him somehow."
Reed read a newspaper article that mentioned Nesmith's childhood and a beloved koi pond in South Carolina. She combined the colors of the koi pond with the colors of the City Edition Indy uniforms and added in Nesmith's own relaxed style.
It got her the gig.