LOS ANGELES — Jake Paul entered the ring ahead of his fight with Tommy Fury Sunday night in an all-black suit with twinkling lights and black rhinestones at the waist. The design should sound familiar to car enthusiasts, as the idea for Paul’s latest trunks originated from the interior design of a luxury car.
The kit was designed by Che Yan, who worked on the assembly with the team of Neon Cowboys, a company that makes luminous clothing. According to Young, the concept they worked on together was inspired by a Rolls-Royce with stars on the ceiling. Young said that Paul referred to this concept as “Stardust Warriors”.
“It was his inspiration, as if we were stardust warriors,” said Young, CEO and founder of CHÉ BY CHÉ. “Rolls Royce talks about luxury, it talks about essence, it talks about his lifestyle of wealth, how he earns and grinds it, and really embraces where he is now. And I feel like the shorts say who he is.”
Young saw fiber optic fabric for the first time, which he liked, but it proved difficult to find. Instead, he and Asia Hall, CEO of the Neon Cowboys, found fabric that was laser-cut to look like a galaxy. Hall and Young used a real photograph of the galaxy to make it look as realistic as possible and added light. The light pattern has been programmed into the app. Hall said she used programmable LEDs, partly because of the power consumption and how bright they can be.
“The idea from the very beginning was that we had to do something that would be talked about,” Young said. “Something that will push the narrative. I like to call it how to leave a dent in the universe.”
This is the sixth pair of briefs Young has designed for Paul. Against Tyron Woodley in August 2021, Paul debuted in a pair of swim trunks with an LED belt that had his name written on it during the fight. They were inspired by the old LED belts that Yang says were popular when he was in high school. The idea was to “flash like a billboard,” Young said, possibly something that could eventually become a marketing tool for brands to promote themselves while Paul fights on stage.
In an interview before this fight, Paul said, “The photo I wear for this fight will be copied by boxers for the rest of the story.”
“It kind of pushes the narrative of how the world could be. [in] the next 10, 20 years,” Young said.
But along with making the shorts stand out, Young says the focus is on making sure the bottoms are comfortable, fit Paul well, and, most importantly, are mobile. These shorts won’t be heavy, but comfort is Young’s top priority, even more than looks. Young flew to Saudi Arabia on February 17 to deliver his work to Paul, which gave him enough time to check them out before the Fury fight. Paul went through test runs and training in his swim trunks, testing things like making sure the lights weren’t hitting him in the ring.
“If you’re uncomfortable with it, this moment won’t be the best because you’re worried about how you fit,” Young said. “And especially in boxing, where we saw former fighters complain, ‘Oh, my suit was too heavy, so my legs were weak, so I couldn’t perform as well.’ So all these metrics are taken into account.”
Young said trying to outdo the last pair of swim trunks he designed for Paul was a lot of fun.
“I think [topping the last pair is] Jake’s thinking every time, Yang said. – It’s not hard at all because he’s always trying to find the next big thing. … He is always trying something new. And that’s his character in a way. So when it comes to fashion or being a celebrity, even dress up. He’s always trying to find ways like, “What will the statement do? What will be discussed? How will people take it?” And then it will never be like, “Let’s just get stuck in a box.”
“He is always on the next level. What’s next? What’s next? What’s next? So it makes my job easier. Honestly. he wants to be in.”
Source: www.espn.com
