Thunder G Russell Westbrook recently filmed a "second advertising campaign" for True Religion jeans, with the "holiday campaign breaking Oct. 8 in GQ, Complex and possibly TV," according to Khanh Tran of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. True Religion Marketing Dir Teresa Riva said that in "contrast to the spring ads that showed Westbrook sauntering in True Religion togs in front of shifting scenery from various neighborhoods" in Oklahoma City, "'is his merging of his day job and his love of fashion and style.'" Tran wrote the convergence "eventually could result in a design project" between Westbrook and the L.A.-based denim company. Riva: "He’s definitely going to be a partner with us in the future." Westbrook said, "People introduce me to different designers, different editors, different bloggers, whoever it may be to put me in a position to be successful. Moving forward, I just try to take advantage of it as much as I can." But Tran wrote in his "zeal to introduce himself to the fashion industry," Westbrook has "risked being overexposed." While it is "commonplace for an athlete to front an ad campaign or try their hand collaborating on a capsule collection produced by a major brand, few have succeeded in making it on their own." The "most visible examples of athletes-turned-aesthetes lie in golf shirts and underwear, not lifestyle brands." Westbrook: "I’m trying to create an empire of fashion, and obviously sports and fashion kind of coming together and having my own fashion line in the future. I want to have my own show. I want to have my own branding" (WWD.com, 6/24).
SOCIAL BUTTERFLY: GQ in its July issue named Westbrook to its list of the "Most Stylish Men Alive," along with Cavaliers F LeBron James, La Liga club Real Madrid MF Cristiano Ronaldo, retired soccer player David Beckham and EPL club Liverpool F Mario Balotelli (GQ, 7/ '15 issue). Westbrook said of his use of Instagram, "People only see me when I walk into the arena, and even then it's just a snippet. And when you have a certain style, you want people to see your whole outfit -- you want to give them an opportunity to get a good look. From time to time I tag what I'm wearing, too, and that gives people the opportunity to recreate it" (GQ.com, 6/25).
