Marcus Smart is known for having as much swag on the court as he does off it. The Boston Celtics shooting guard regularly takes to his Instagram to share the plethora of labels he stocks in his seemingly endless wardrobe which ranges from Balmain and Hugo Boss, to limited-edition Nikes.
Yet, while the array of designers worn by Smart is both extensive and expensive, there’s one name that continues to rise above the rest, no matter the occasion. “My personal style is classic, but I like to take risks from time to time so Thom Browne is the perfect brand for that,” he tells Highsnobiety.
“Thom [Browne] makes beautiful suits with great attention to detail, but also designs collections with out of the box ideas that are perfect for the fashion risk taker.”
Smart is speaking to Highsnobiety ahead of the opening of Thom Browne’s first-ever Boston flagship at Copley Place.
The location — which has been designed by architect Flavio Albanese of ASA Studio — includes all the hallmarks of the label’s signature mid-century modern style, with slat blind-covered windows, rows of fluorescent tube lighting, polished with black and gray terrazzo flooring.
As well as a shiny new Thom Browne store, Boston is home to a myriad of well-regarded sneaker stores. As an athlete, Smart's look is often centered sneakers which, handily, is something the New York-based label — despite being predominantly a preppy suit brand — has become pretty renowned for styling in recent years.
“I can pull out a Thom Browne suit and style it with sneakers and the juxtaposition works. I think that’s why the brand is so popular with athletes,” he explains. “Of course, they make sweats and t-shirts, but you can take the most formal pieces of Thom Browne and put it on with sneakers and somehow it just works.”
Smart was a part of the Celtics side who on April 25 (despite a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit) fell short in a thriller against Atlanta Hawks 119-117, after they snatched the win with less than two seconds remaining.
The 29 year old, who's been at Boston Celtics since 2014, now heads back to Atlanta with the rest of the team on April 27 with a 3-2 advantage in the series.
Visit the Thom Browne store in Boston next time you're there — you may run into Smart.
