Brandon Jennings' Streetwear Line TUFF CROWD is a Representation of LA Street Style

You know Brandon Jennings as an accomplished nine-year NBA veteran and former Under Armour athlete, but if you haven't already, it's now time to meet Brandon Jennings the fashion enthusiast and streetwear brand owner. TUFF CROWD, the brand created by Jennings, is a representation of all things Los Angeles street style. Known for its bold, effortless, and clean designs, a quick browse through the company's website shows you some retro punk-themed apparel (including a cut-off t-shirt with a skeleton design on it), mixed in with a range of athletic offerings such as hoodies, shorts, hats, and socks, all of which Jennings says are "all him" from a style and personality standpoint.

The company's latest venture is a new collection with Curry Brand, which is set to offer three different sneakers—the Curry 11, Curry Flow Cozy and UA Spawn FloTro—alongside a limited apparel release that also includes slides, a tote bag, hats, beanies and socks. To celebrate the collection, Curry Brand will host a pop up this Saturday, November 11, in Jennings’ hometown of Gardena, CA, at Rowley Park, in addition to unveiling a new indoor gym. We caught up with Jennings, who was also joined by long-time friend and sneaker writer Nick DePaula to talk all things TUFF CROWD.

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"I first created the brand around 2018," the 34-year-old Jennings tells ONE37pm as we kick off the conversation. "We started producing clothes around 2019, and went live around the same time. The idea for TUFF CROWD came about when I was in China. I saw how big our culture was over there as far as brands, hip-hop, and the way they dressed. So when I came back to America, I decided to start a brand that represents everything I've gone through in my life as far as growing, basketball, NBA, family, friends, and things like that. Everything just made sense in terms of calling it TUFF CROWD."

Jennings' collaboration with Curry brand is one that's inspired by Steph’s 4th championship and Finals MVP in 2022 with the tagline “What they gonna say now?” being incorporated throughout the capsule. Some of the cool details featured include TUFF CROWD's signature collar embroidery in Curry Brand font type across the tops, and a barb-wired "Curry Splash" logo that continues the journey of these two brands telling their stories together. "The history of me starting my career with Under Armour as their first basketball athlete, and Steph later signing with them and taking the brand to a whole new level—starting TUFF CROWD and then him having his own Curry Brand plus our relationships and people we know—it just made sense."

Jennings, who averaged 14 points per game during a nine-year NBA career that started with a bang, says the experience of transitioning from being a star athlete to an emerging name in the fashion/streetwear scene has been great. "Once I left the game I knew TUFF CROWD was going to be my next journey. It's been awesome to keep going after the game of basketball, collaborating with my peers, and growing a company along with all the ups and downs that come with it."

Jennings compares the process of starting a brand to his pre-NBA days of trying to make it into the league, saying that both were an element of risk taking on his end, which leads me to my next question—what's something about building a business, in particular a fashion business, that people wouldn't know? "You gotta have patience man," he says adding: "Patience is the biggest thing, because you don't know if everybody is going to like it. I think it's just the feeling of taking a risk. My whole life has been a risk because basketball was the one thing I loved, and I'm doing it again in fashion. Sometimes people like it and sometimes they don't, but that's just the natural feeling of life."

TUFF CROWD's clothing is the definition of being intricately designed, made with great quality, inclusive, and cutting edge. There's very much an element of Brandon Jennings being inspired by, well, Brandon Jennings. "The clothes are just based off me," he explains. "I try to base the designs off my style and the things I like. I always kid around and say that I'm the mannequin. We're an authentic and organic brand. Coming from the NBA—I should still be playing right now—all of the steps that we took to get to this point is what makes us different."

At this point I turn my attention DePaula, because you can't have "NDP" in a room and not ask him a question or two. He and Jennings go all the way back. "I've known Brandon for about fifteen years," DePaula says, adding: "We put him on the cover of Sole Collector with his first shoe."

"I had the Jheri curl!," Jennings chimes in reflecting.

"Amongst his many hair styles!" Depaula laughs. "It's been great seeing what he's built over the years and seeing this process just knowing him as a friend this entire time."

The collaboration with Curry Brand is closing 2023 off with a bang and previewing an exciting 2024 to come. "We're two fierce competitors that battled on the same court—Steph is my peer, so with us doing business together, I hope that more of our peers do business together as well," Jennings says. "I'm looking forward to seeing more of my peers collab and work together."

Growing and continuing to have patience is the main goal for this next year, with another monumental moment being this weekend's event in Jennings’ hometown of Gardena, CA, at Rowley Park where there's going to be a court unveiling and a pop-up.

"The 11/11 drop will be in my hometown at Rowley Park, where I first started playing the game of basketball. To be in my hometown with my first pop-up collection and court with Steph Curry in the city of Gardena—this is my top 75 All Star and NBA championship to me. This is something that my kids will be able to remember, and inspire all of the kids in Gardena to let them know that you can be something other than just a basketball player. You can be anything you put your mind to."

You can keep up with TUFF CROWD via their website and Instagram.

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