The Washington Wizards hosted a Style Showcase on Oct. 4 at the District Wharf Pier to hype fans up ahead of the 2023-24 season and raise money for the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation.
The show started with hosts Britt Waters and Wes Hall introducing Rachel Nichols and her new Monumental Sports Network show called “Hometown with Rachel Nichols,” an interview-style show that features players and coaches from the Washington Capitals, Mystics and Wizards.
After a brief intermission, the fashion started with six designers showing off their new designs on models. Designers included Andrew Nowell, Miguel Wilson, Amber Elle, Ramona Designs, Alek Risimnic Couture and Corjor International, all of whom participated in shows during DC Fashion Week.
The Wizards got their chance to strut their stuff on the runway. The first group of players walked out wearing designs by Chris Pyrate, the designer who created the exclusive cherry blossom collection last season.
Patrick Baldwin Jr. shows off a matching denim set from Chris Pyrate’s newest collection
The second group of players wore a variety of different designers but were all styled by Ed Archer, who has worked with styling several players throughout the previous season.
“[Styling athletes] is all based on their personal style,” Archer said. “[And] being able to amplify the look, diffuse the branding and make it presentable not only for themselves but also to the audience.”
The last and most anticipated group of players styled themselves with their own wardrobes. Favorites from the group included Kyle Kuzma, notorious for his gameday outfits, as well as new addition to the team Jordan Poole.
With training camp just starting on Oct. 3 and lots of new additions to the team, players are looking forward to a successful upcoming season.
“You guys should expect a lot of things from us this season. We have a great team. We have unbelievable talent: Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Eugene Omoruyi, we have all these people coming in,” Kuzma said. “It’s going to be great. Come support us, we appreciate it.”
The first Washington Wizards game of the regular season will be an away game on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. against the Indiana Pacers.
This article was edited by Penelope Jennings, Delaney Hoke and Abigail Pritchard. Copy editing done by Isabelle Kravis.
