The Milwaukee folk hero and the man behind the “Tuff Crowd” clothing line takes Boardroom through his journey from basketball to fashion.
In the debut of Boardroom’s video series “Brick By Brick,” former NBA player Brandon Jennings explains his evolution into a career as a fashion designer, how his basketball journey across the world shaped his style and mindset, and what it feels like to see the best players in the NBA wearing his “Tuff Crowd” clothing line.
As Jennings told Boardroom:
“Tuff Crowd started in 2018 when I went to China for a couple months, and that’s when I really transformed into a fashion designer. China also helped me out a lot, just by seeing the different styles, the brands that they had, and our influence on the Chinese culture in fashion.
“So, I came back from China, and I had played on the Bucks’ G League team at that time, and I still hadn’t started my brand. I went back to the league, and that’s when I realized that I wanted to start Tuff Crowd.“
“Man, I felt like I was the first Bucks player to ever give Milwaukee some sauce. Just some swag in a different way that they’ve never seen before. I did come in with a lot of energy, a loud mouth. I think I had like seven different hairstyles my rookie year. That’s just who I was — I was always playing with fire, always had some dog mentality in me.
“So looking back at it, I felt, like, wow, look what I’ve created in my time in Milwaukee. And I spent four years there, so it just makes me really appreciate the fans and the city of Milwaukee for just embracing me and still understanding what I was trying to bring.”
Portrait photography courtesy @Chief.Will
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