In the last decade, designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, through his fashion brand, Pyer Moss, has disrupted the conventions of high fashion. From 2020–2022 Jean-Raymond was Creative Director at Reebok in Boston where he also produced popular and (relatively) affordable attire like this rollneck sweater, overalls, and sneaker design.

When Jean-Raymond shows garments and accessories like these on the runway or in the press, he uses those opportunities to engage with some of the major political conversations of our time, including mental health, police brutality, and alternatives to fast fashion. The tagline for this collection, “American, Also,” insists that his sportswear and those who wear it, including Black sportspeople who excel across disciplines, belong in mainstream fashion. In this way, his determined persistence as a Black designer has challenged the historically white-dominated fashion industry.

---