California-based designer Doni Nahmias tapped Reece James to walk his SS25 runway, alongside Machine Gun Kelly and Landon Barker. 

The ‘Physical Education’ collection and runway presentation was inspired by Nahmias’ childhood in Summerland, CA, transforming a Los Angeles recreation centre into a high school gym, complete with sporty garments inspired by the city’s skate, surf and basketball scenes. 

With each look reflecting the style of a California high school in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, James’ look had him take on a whole new role. Dressed in a navy blue boiler suit, James walked out as a janitor – mopping the floor with earbuds loosely dangling from his pocket – before hitting a traditional runway strut in front of a star-clad SoCal audience of Ice Cube, Travis Barker, NBA star Jalen Green and Houston Dash’s Diana Ordóñez. 

James joins a growing list of ballers rocking the runway, with Hectór Bellerín’s memorable Louis Vuitton debut in 2019 creating a brand new pathway for players to engage in fashion and vice versa.

With the fashion industry embracing football with open arms, players turning into models and muses has become a normality. Luxury brands like Burberry and Prada have tapped into football now more than ever. With another menswear fashion month well underway, keep your eye out for ballers sitting front row and commanding attention on the catwalk in the next few weeks.

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