Bloomingdale's is teaming up with the NBA for next month's All-Star weekend in N.Y. and "has installed 16 basketball-inspired pop-up shops at its stores around the country, offering retro-era jerseys, vintage graphic T-shirts and accessories," according to Jean Palmieri of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. Special NBA All-Star merch "will also be offered." The retailer last year "enlisted the help of the Council of Fashion Designers of America to have 48 designers create custom helmets for the Super Bowl." Bloomingdale's Exec VP/Marketing Frank Berman said that football helmets "could be viewed by designers as 'a blank canvas,' but the same couldn't be said of basketball jerseys." So instead, Bloomingdale's "worked with the league and designers on the licensed collection -- Mark McNairy designed special bomber jackets for the collaboration -- and produced a mailer focused on tailored clothing." The direct mail piece, which "ships to homes this week," features Rockets G James Harden. Bloomingdale's "will install windows" with NBA and All-Star merch in its N.Y. store on Lexington Avenue beginning Jan. 19 (WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY, 1/7 issue).
