Brook Lopez Q&A: Fashion, Forever 21 and James Bond
If you’ve always wanted to rock Forever 21 but weren’t quite sure where to start, the clothing brand’s NBA line may provide an opportunity to dip your toes in the water.
In late February, Forever 21 announced its latest line, which features new styles for both men and women. Thanks to a three-year partnership with the NBA, you can pick up a new hoodie or baseball-style jersey with logos of the Heat and Bulls. The line also sports hats, tees and loungewear for any fashion-forward fans looking to expand their wardrobe from jerseys to actual clothes.
And the clothes are actually quite solid. There are definitely more options for women (what is a bralette, though?) than men, which I’m sure is a welcome addition for female fans who can, at times, be bereft of options for their favorite teams. I think my personal favorites have to be the Bulls baseball jersey and the Warriors snapback, two fashion investments that could pay off years from now, if/when these styles go out of production.
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At the introduction of the new line, Forever 21 held a small event at its store in Times Square. Fans lined up to meet Nets center Brook Lopez, who was kind enough to spend a couple minutes with SI.com for a brief but wide-ranging discussion.
Rohan Nadkarni:What’s your favorite thing you own in your closet?
Brook Lopez: My Bayside Tigers T-shirt. I love Saved by the Bell. You can’t beat that. I’m a California guy. It’s always one of my go-tos.
RN: Is it hard for you to find clothes that fit?
BL: No, not really. I do get suits and more dressed-up stuff custom made.
RN: Do you have a go-to store for clothes?
BL: Banana Republic.
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RN: As a twin, did you ever have to dress up in embarrassing matching outfits with your brother?
BL: No, my mom never believed in that. But in kindergarten, my nana would always want to do that. When my mom had to go teach, she would always do it. It drove my mom crazy.
RN: What was the worst?
BL: Nothing super embarrassing. Matching red-and-white striped overalls. White shirts underneath. Typical matching twin stuff.
RN: Are you into the whole NBA subculture with fashion? Is that your thing?
BL: I’m not super into it all, actually.
RN: How did you get involved with Forever 21?
BL: I was fortunate enough to hear from it from the Nets. They were nice enough to set me up with this situation. I do have some Forever 21 stuff in my wardrobe. It just seems like a cool thing to do. I am interested in their line, I want to see what they have.
RN: What's your favorite thing in your closet?
BL: I have a couple sweet, kind of euro-cut Bond suits.
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RN: Are we talking James Bond or Bond villain?
BL: Definitely James Bond, always Bond. I’m Timothy Dalton.
RN: Timothy Dalton is your favorite James Bond? Why?
BL: The Living Daylights is a great Bond movie. I think it’s underrated. At the time it switched from [Roger] Moore to Dalton, and after Moore’s movies, Dalton seemed super dark. But that’s really what you’re seeing today. Dalton was still able to joke as Bond and be light, but he mixed it well he thought.
