Daniel Arsham and Tiffany & Co. have a lot in common beyond a shared love of fine jewelry. For one, they love sports! And, Arsham being the Cleveland Cavaliers' creative director, it only makes sense that he'd bring the luxury house back to the hardwood.
"I played basketball as a kid in high school, so All-Star Weekend has always been meaningful for me," Arsham told Highsnobiety. "Especially working so closely with my hometown team, the Cavs."
This partnership isn't Tiffany's first time tackling sports equipment or even its first Arsham collaboration but it is the house's most public dive into basketball to date — it's certainly much more accessible to the average fan than Tiffany's Larry O'Brien trophy.
As the NBA ushers in All-Star Weekend on February 18, Tiffany will hold court (literally) at The May in downtown Cleveland while Arsham's Cavs will host the big game at their Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Fans can stroll into the pop-up and shoot hoops on a custom half-court, view the real-deal Larry O'Brien trophy that the Cavs earned in 2016, attend panels or discussions, and purchase a custom, game-ready Wilson basketball draped in Tiffany Blue for $575 (that's kind of a deal if you consider that Tiffany's Spalding ball goes for a couple grand).
The ball will also drop at Tiffany's Woodmere store.
"Working with Tiffany has been great," Arsham said. "Both collaborations have been an opportunity to evolve my work and re-imagine the classic Tiffany style."
"I think that people are interested in novel takes on things that they know. When collaborators come in and reinterpret a brand or a type of work, it allows for a new experience or a new perspective. That's a big part of my work, reinterpretation and fusion."
That sense of fusion is on full display with Arsham and Tiffany's bespoke basketball, which subtly incorporates a few of Arsham's signature cues alongside the inimitable Tiffany hue.
"The addition of my embossed studio logo, the Arsham double A's, personalizes the project and evolves the aesthetic from previous projects I've worked on with Tiffany," Arsham said. "This particular collaboration seemed to make natural sense given my role as Creative Director of the Cavs."
Given that a couple of his Cavs are participating in the All-Star events, hopefully it'll be good luck to have Arsham in town.
