Fashion
How sport and fashion connects us all: Will Claye’s AlphaTauri collection
In partnership with AlphaTauri, Will Claye is sharing a message of unity.
Professional triple and long jumper, Will Claye, believes that “When you have these types of eyes on you it’s important to inspire people to be the best version of themselves."
In collaboration with AlphaTauri, the functional fashion brand founded by Red Bull in 2016, the three-time Olympian created a custom collection to gift to his Red Bull athlete family to rep while they’re competing in Paris.
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
We wanted to create something that would look good on athletes, and feel good on athletes.
Claye described the capsule as: “Heavy cotton shirts that feel good with a boxy fit which is a cool silhouette right now. We wanted to create something that would look good on athletes, and feel good on athletes. It’s something they can move around Paris in—and feel cool.”
The pieces also carry a message, a powerful message for an event that invites every country to come together:
“Reunited as one
We started as one
We reunite as one”
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
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Gideon Day, Creative Director at AlphaTauri, worked with Claye on the project and led the design and production on behalf of Red Bull’s fashion brand.
“We consider fashion a creative-expression canvas, and we’re interested in using it as a medium to convey valuable messages through. Will Claye’s message is definitely one that is valuable.” Day said of the collaboration. “Our interest and curiosity as a Red Bull brand extends even beyond sport, to the fields of culture, music, and art. Fashion is multifaceted and has become a big story-telling force. We’re privileged to be part of its global influence.” Day continued about AlphaTauri.
In terms of this special collection, Day called the line a “message capsule” because the story is in the print on the garments. He explained how the process with Claye was seamless, they were both collaborative and open.
And Claye shared that his vision was brought to life because everyone involved had “laser focus on every single detail.” He explained how “a lot of people do things with brands halfway and you can tell. You can tell in the fabrics and prints, you can tell when something is thrown together. That separates great brands from good brands.”
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AlphaTauri x Will Claye Capsule Collection
In the spirit of fashion and sport being universal languages, AlphaTauri collaborated with Red Bull Athlete Will Claye on creating a custom collection with a purposeful message.
In the beginning stages, he told Claye how he thought it would be great if the clothing had some kind of message to cut through the noise of everything going on in the world. He asked, “What’s on your mind? What do you want to say?”
Claye came back two days later with this idea centered on the meaning of Pangea, how all the continents existed as a single continent; and how what is now separated into pieces was once one.
Gideon thought it was a cool concept because it’s a metaphor for what we all want to say.
The message is short, sweet and impactful. Day explained how he drew design inspiration from protest art in the '70s, Live Aid in the '80s, and protest Rastafarian art.
“We wanted to give it quite a graphic style. Black and white. Protest Art. Homemade. The words all came from him,” Day said.
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
Since Claye signed with Red Bull in 2013, he had the dream of launching his own capsule collection. “I saw a lot of the clothes that I was given and I really liked them. I wanted to put my own touch on them. I wanted to give athletes something fly to wear—that I thought was fly to wear,” he said.
But his interest in fashion came long before being a Red Bull athlete, his passion for sports and fashion was inspired by his brothers at a young age. Claye watched his oldest brother being recruited for college football, and the attentiveness and consideration sparked something in him. He started taking track and field and football seriously.
At the same time, his older brother was also beginning to focus on fashion. It was a Kanye West music video where West was rocking a Polo shirt, that left an impression on both of them. They saw how style conveyed confidence, energy, and strength. Style is expression. Now today, Claye is creating his own line to inspire.
His advice for young entrepreneurs looking to do the same would be to “study the game,” he stated. “Don’t just jump into it and think that it’s going to happen. Know exactly what you’re doing and if you could have a good mentor that will guide you through it, that would be amazing. To be great is not an easy entry, you have to really know what you’re doing.”
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
Claye will tell you how fashion and sport have overlapping principles. They are both expressive; they are both channels to show how you feel.
As a clothing brand rooted in combining fashion, sports, and culture, AlphaTauri shares that belief. They’re driven by incorporating functionality into their pieces to benefit the artists and athletes who wear their clothes.
“They work for you rather than you working for them,” Day said. “And at the same time, you put them on and feel much more presentable than you were before. It’s this very understated, very minimalist, very chic uniform that is at the same time very innovative and goes one step further than most clothing brands.”
Claye understands the balance needed to bounce between life and sport well.
In addition to his love of fashion and being a professional athlete, he’s a musician, and most importantly a husband and father. He feels like with everything he’s doing, his biggest purpose is to inspire his daughter to grow up and be great in whatever she chooses. He manages multiple projects by understanding when it’s time to have a laser focus on a task at hand.
Will Claye x AlphaTauri
© Aldo Chacon
His focus for this capsule was a special thing. His affinity for colors and silhouettes is about to reach another level when he sees his message printed across the chests of athletes around the world.
“We need to unite more,” Claye declared, “Use sport to patch things up and shed light and love over the dark things that are going on. So many amazing athletes and so many amazing people are meeting in this place and then going back to where they are from, they can have that light there and take it back to wherever they come from."