The Hardwood Classics - Basketball Collection
Basketball is back, and we couldn’t be happier.
If you know the brand, you know how much of an influence sport is on the product we make and the people who work here. It’s a driving force in the city, and moreover, it helps bring communities together - something we could all use a little more of these days. It’s opening night at the Moda Center, and we’re celebrating it the only way we know how.
Marcus Harvey, the founder (and new dad! 👶🏼) of Portland Gear, grew up glued to the television set with his Nikes on, basketball in-hand, watching Michael Jordan gracefully arc a ball through the net. Living near Nike’s world headquarters, sports and athleticism were things that he gravitated towards naturally. Little did he know that decades later, long before Portland Gear was even an inkling of a thought, he’d meet a rookie who is now one of the Portland Trail Blazer’s most sought-after players.
In a small office space in Old Town, the year was 2013, and Marcus and his good friend Wookie (now lead product designer) were hustling away at Creative 35 - an agency that created custom clothes for entrepreneurs. One night in the Pearl, Marcus and Wookie stumbled upon a poutine-eating contest at a brewery. Yes, a poutine-eating contest. He quickly recognized that competing in the contest, were three of the Trail Blazer’s newest rookies, and one of them was CJ McCollum. Taking a chance, he walked up, introduced himself and Wookie, and told them about Creative 35. Months later, they were creating one-off garments for CJ as he took off towards basketball stardom.
As Portland Gear’s first brick-and-mortar location began to gain traction in the retail community, Marcus hosted Blazer signing events. Fostering a relationship with some of the team’s most notable players, a line around the block would form of fans of the brand and the team alike, eager to meet their favorite athletes.
Every year since Portland Gear’s conception, we’ve done a celebratory line of garments to commemorate our favorite basketball team’s return to the court. As the regular season begins, we’re proud to unveil the Hardwood Classics collection for the '21-'22 basketball season.
With odes to the fits and design directions of decades past, we approached these garments with through a vintage and thrifted lens - boxy fits compliment bold graphics, and innovative printing techniques makes these garments as experimental as Blazer games themselves. Tees, long sleeves and hoodies, all available beginning this Saturday at 10AM.
This is the Hardwood Classics collection.