If at first the fact that American menswear brand Mizzen+Main is teaming up with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt seems unlikely, think again. The Mizzen+Main x J.J. Watt collab is here, and it’s got style points to burn.
Starting today, Mizzen+Main — makers of stretchy, stylish and performance-inclined tailored gear — are offering a new line of dress shirts crafted in collaboration with the powerhouse defensive superstar. A longstanding supporter of the brand and its line of effective, sharp and slim dress shirts (and other essentials like stylish chinos), the partnership was a natural fit, said Mizzen+Main Founder and CEO Kevin Lavelle — particularly after J.J. discovered the product a few years back.
“He got a shirt and tried it on, and it fit off the rack … It helps that most people couldn’t believe our shirts fit him,” Lavelle said of the 6-foot, 5-inch defensive end. “We were super excited to have him on board.”
Watt, a three-time winner of the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award, is known on the field for his mobility and athleticism (even catching passes at times in the 2014 season), so it only makes sense that the brand’s focus on tailored performance wear is a favorite of Houston Texans star.
Through a six-month design process, Watt worked with the Mizzen+Main team to land on six dress shirts and two polos, all done up in iterations of red, white, and blue. The colors on each piece are designed to be worn both formally or casually, and the combo is its own nod to the color scheme of the Texans (and anyone who loves a bit of stylish, wearable Americana).
The collection starts at $80 for polos and $145 for shirting — both prices well within the range of high-quality, performance-ready dress shirts.
With Watt on board, it’s all part of the brand’s strategy to keep growing — even at a time when retail can be challenging. The brand is sold in well over 300 retail shops across the country (including a presence at Nordstrom) — that’s plenty of chances to get your hands on some stylish, easily wearable and functional tailored wear. Fit for the office or more laid-back situations, everything from the brand’s navy chinos to its chambray shorts would work handsomely alongside the Watt-designed collection.
Eventually, Lavelle and his team want to expand the line based on J.J.’s personal style, which just so happens to be classic and easy for any guy to emulate — NFL pro or not.
“We’re excited to see how this goes,” Lavelle said. “We think that people are going to respond really well.”
Between the range of versatile options, the easy-to-wear performance and the style signature of a superstar athlete, there’s a lot to like about the offering designed by Mizzen+Main and J.J. Watt.
