Mitchell & Ness appoints Don C as creative director of premium goods

Mitchell & Ness, known for its nostalgic sportswear and premium streetwear, has tapped Don Crawley, professionally known as Don C, as its new creative director of premium products.

Don C is a notable figure in streetwear culture and the founder of the ‘Just Don’ brand, and the owner of fashion shopping staple RSVP Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. His appointment strengthens his long-standing existing relationship with Mitchell & Ness, which first partnered in 2011 with the release of luxury Just Don caps. Since then, the two have collaborated on product lines, including 'NBA Jam,' 'No Name,' and other premium apparel and headwear collections.

Kevin Wulff, chief executive of Mitchell & Ness, said in a statement: "Don is truly an icon and visionary, and after having worked with him for many years, we’re ecstatic to have him formally join the Mitchell & Ness family. “Fans of the brand can look forward to exciting new products across all leagues that will fuse the brand's heritage with Don C’s cutting-edge creative vision.”

One of the first collaborative projects with Don C will be the launch of the MLB ‘Cooperstown Collection’ in April surrounding MLB’s season opener. The launch will include Just Don premium shorts celebrating the MLB’s most recent expansion teams: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays.

In addition, Don C will be an “integral part” of rolling out the brand’s new collection of NBA shorts and headwear designed to celebrate some of basketball’s earliest and greatest foreign NBA players including the likes of Drazen Petrovich, Tony Parker and Toni Kukoc.

Commenting on his appointment, Don C, said: "Working with Mitchell & Ness is a dream come true. I grew up on throwbacks and sportswear, so it's an honour to be able to impact something that affected me so much through my creative journey and love of sports. I'm looking forward to storytelling and creating more timeless products alongside the Mitchell & Ness team."

The appointment of Don C comes follows significant growth and expansion for Mitchell & Ness, after the company was acquired by global digital sports platform Fanatics in 2022.