As a part of Black Music Month, the Pistons have tapped into Detroit’s deep musical roots for a clothing collection inspired by the city’s rich legacies.
Featuring elevated styles with nostalgic motifs, each piece from the collection centers language and imagery that pays homage to the city’s heyday, with designs that include nods to Belle Isle, 8 Mile Road and various iterations of the Motown and Pistons logos.
“Music and sports have always been at the crossroads of entertainment,” says Motown senior vice president of artist relations, Tramiel “Twin” Clark. “Rooted in the city of Detroit, both the Pistons and Motown represent strong brand equity that is synonymous with the city’s rich history.”
Brought to life by creative studio Doubleday & Cartwright, the collection includes a total of seven pieces, ranging from a khaki Pistons bucket hat to a gray crewneck, hoodies in red and cream, and T-shirts in black, navy and cream, all of which capture Detroit’s strong basketball culture and iconic contributions to global music.
“When we think of that unique pride [we have] for our city, a lot of times, it’s rooted in Motown music, or the Pistons championship history,” says Bilal Saeed, Pistons vice president of brand and marketing strategy. “To be able to bring those two iconic brands together that really represent sports and music at the largest scales, it’s really powerful.”
To kick off the launch, the Pistons are hosting an event at the Henry Ford Pistons Performance Center’s Plum Market on Saturday, June 17, where they will present the inaugural Detroit Pistons Black Music Month Award to Detroit rapper Dej Loaf.
The new collection is one of many collaborations from the Pistons, including one with Eminem in 2021, a Rosa Parks collection with a portion of proceeds going to Rosa & Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, and a “Martin” collaboration, paying homage to the culturally significant ’90s show featuring Martin Lawrence.
“I want people to associate and understand that the Pistons are going to do more in this space,” Saeed says. “I want some generations that might not be as well informed about the history and roots behind Motown records to learn from this, I want to give an opportunity for those that are familiar with [the legacies] to experience that nostalgia and in a way that’s a little bit creative and new, through a retail collaboration.”
The collection will be available for purchase starting Saturday, June 17 at Pistons313Shop.com and from 6 to 9 p.m. at Plum Market inside the Henry Ford Pistons Performance Center.
