Mitchell & Ness, a premier worldwide purveyor of nostalgic sportswear and premium streetwear, announced the appointment of Don Crawley, professionally known as Don C, as the new Creative Director of Premium Products. A notable figure in streetwear culture and often regarded as one of the most influential creatives, Don C is the founder of the Just Don brand and owner of fashion shopping staple, RSVP Gallery, in Chicago.
This appointment strengthens the long-standing relationship between Mitchell & Ness and Don C, who first partnered in 2011 with the release of luxury Just Don caps. Since then, the two have collaborated on product lines like NBA Jam, No Name, and other premium apparel and headwear collections.
The appointment of Don C comes on the heels of significant growth and expansion for Mitchell & Ness. Last year, the company was acquired by global digital sports platform, Fanatics, and a strategic ownership group comprised of some of the most prominent names in sports, entertainment, and business.
“Don is
truly an icon and visionary, and after having worked with him for many years we’re ecstatic to have him formally join the Mitchell & Ness family,” said Kevin Wulff, CEO of Mitchell & Ness. “Fans of the brand can look forward to exciting new products across all leagues that will fuse the brand’s heritage with Don C’s cutting-edge creative vision.”In addition to bringing a fresh set of ideas and culturally relevant moments for the brand, one of the first collaborative projects
includes launching the MLB “Cooperstown Collection” in April, surrounding MLB’s season opener. The launch will include Just Don premium shorts celebrating the MLB’s most recent expansion teams: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays.Beyond that, Don C will be an integral part of rolling out the new collection of NBA shorts and headwear designed to celebrate some of basketball’s earliest and greatest foreign NBA players, including Drazen Petrovich, Tony Parker, and Toni Kukoc.
Don C enthusiastically spoke about joining
the brand in an official capacity, stating, “Working with Mitchell & Ness is a dream come true. I grew up on throwbacks and sportswear, so it’s an honor to be able to impact something that affected me so much through my creative journey and love of sports. I’m looking forward to storytelling and creating more timeless products alongside the Mitchell & Ness team.”Fans can shop the Mitchell & Ness x Just Don collection featuring NBA, MLB, and NFL apparel at www.mitchellandness.com.