Newly launched in the fashion world is a unique yet attractive line of culturally inspired designs, born out of a collaboration between Miami Dolphins’ star quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, and Perry Ellis. Named TUA x PERRY ELLIS, this minimalist and modern apparel borrows elements from Tagovailoa’s Samoan heritage. From dressing up in a wrinkle-resistant and handsome 4-way stretch suit to hanging out in a gorgeous botanical print short-sleeve, Tagovailoa worked closely with the Perry Ellis team to craft something truly special. After all, when it comes to style, the best tip is to wear something uniquely you. And he’s here today to talk to us about it. So, whip up a cocktail (if you drink), take a seat, and let’s go.
Exploring how and why Tua Tagovailoa and Perry Ellis joined forces
In true introductory fashion, The Manual’s Dan Gaul asks Tagovailoa where this idea — and where his inspiration for the collection — came from. “Perry Ellis has a rich history of pushing the boundaries of fashion,” Tagovailoa says.
He elaborates, “The cool thing about it was I was able to get into contact with Perry Ellis, and they [said] ,’Hey, we think this would be a good collaboration with you, with your unique style, and how you dress up to go to game days.’ Then it […] took off from there.”
Tagovailoa explains that his vision and his beliefs align with Perry Ellis, particularly when it comes to pushing those boundaries.
“For anyone to be able to have their own line or to have their own collaboration…with a brand of this magnitude… Why would I not want to do that? Really, the partnership with Perry Ellis was inspired by our shared commitment,” he says, pointing to things like innovation and style. “For me, my culture, and just gathering all those things up to make a positive impact — they deem [that] to be as important to them.”
Most importantly, he respects how the collaboration came to be and what that means. “It’s cool they were able to bring my vision to life.”
“This is something I’m going to be able to share with my kids, my kids’ kids, and so forth. That’s super cool,” he says.
As for Tagovailoa’s childhood, background, and culture, much of that has been included in the overall design of this collection.
“I took a lot of inspiration from a lot of the clothes that I’ve worn over the years, and then growing up, some of the designs that I’ve seen. There’s a lot of flowers that go on there. Weaving of mats, there’s also weaving of leaves that sort of mesh with some of the idea of what the clothing looks like, as well,” he says. “A lot of it has to do with the land and what in our culture we deem to be important to us and unique to use in our heritage.”
With prices ranging from $70 to $225, and a variety of apparel options, including polos, dress shirts, short-sleeve sweaters, and a two-tone tech suit — it’s something everyone should check out. To give you an example, here are a few pieces from the TUA X PERRY ELLIS collection:
Where does a collaboration like this start?
“Perry Ellis and you came together.” Gaul asks, “From day one, how did you come up with these ideas of the designs? What was that process like for you?”
“That was a cool process, I’ll tell you that,” Tagovailoa answers. “There was a lot of back-and-forth of me saying what I wanted and then just pulling pictures of things and sending [them] to the Perry Ellis team. [They created] something to send back, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is cool, but like, could we change this a little, or could we change that a little?’ It was so cool how transparent they were and they made the process so easy. It was like, ‘Okay if that’s not it, that’s not it, we’re going to keep working at it until we get this thing right.'”
The Perry Ellis team made sure that this collection was something Tagovailoa could truly be proud of.
“My Samoan heritage was very important to me and I thought that it was just a cool mesh […] bringing that together with modern-day clothing,” he says.
Learning more about Tagovailoa’s personal brand
Eventually, Gaul asks Tagovailoa what his favorite piece in the collection is. He is the primary inspiration for these designs and had a direct hand in their creation so which one is most special to him?
“The I think is pretty dope. Leaves, how the mats go with the weaving, the intertwining of it. I just think it’s beautiful, it’s a beautiful thing in our culture. I think it’s unique to us as Samoan people. You know, it’s cool that I’m able to share that with the world through clothes,” he shares.
The real litmus test for unique designs like this is how they are perceived by others out in the world.
Tagovailoa explains he’s been getting some “really cool and positive feedback” from everyone he’s shared the line with, including family, friends, teammates, and beyond.
Of course, even if it is his line, you can’t wear a single line of apparel every day. When asked what his personal style looks like and what he wears outside of this collaboration, Tagovailoa gives us a brief look into his motivations.
“Especially to game days, I always like to have some sort of cultural significance. Just because, it reminds me, that’s the day we normally go to church, and that’s what I’d normally put on. It would probably look to some people as if I’m walking into work on a normal Wednesday.”
Most of the time, he keeps it very casual.
What’s next for Tua Tagovailoa?
“I’m solely focused on my craft right now, being all-in with football. I would say, after this is done, I’ll probably take a year off, spending time with my wife and my kids,” he says.
As you can see, Tagovailoa is a humble man and a commendable family man. That’s inspiring as it is, let alone all the hard work he’s put into this wonderful fashion venture he’s spearheaded.
“I’m just excited to continue working with the Perry Ellis team to put together some cool and comfortable styles. So you guys can continue to see the cultural aspect of who I am and where I come from. Hopefully, we get some more people on board this project [so] we can continue to witness and see the world through clothing,” he says.
