Aside from basketball, Hakeem Olajuwon's favorite passion is fashion, from designing his own suits to picking out the best fabrics for a custom creation.
So the former Houston Rockets star turned real-estate mogul has launched his own clothing line, DR34M, aptly named for his Rockets' nickname, The Dream, and his team number.
Olajuwon, who lives in Jordan, was recently in Houston to meet with fans and show off pieces from his line.
DR34M currently includes men's jerseys, polo shirts and jeans, and Olajuwon hopes to expand into women's and children's wear. The line is available at dr34m.com, with select pieces at houstonrockets shop.com. Jeans are $135; polos, $85; and T-shirts, $55.
"This isn't new," Olajuwon said, while showing a vibrant-colored vest and scarf he had created more than 15 years ago. "Even during my rookie year, I was going to fabric stores to pick out fabrics. They determine what I would want to make. I've always liked that creativity."
The Dream actually sews?
Well, no, he said.
But he selects the fabrics and adds his creative spin on the design.
"I know what I want," he said. "When I look at fabrics, I know what I want when I see it. I've always loved fashion from my childhood growing up in Lagos (Nigeria). Fashion was something that was very big. We would go to the extreme of trying to find something unique so we would be the trendsetter."
Olajuwon said his favorite fabrics are cashmere and linen, though neither are used in his clothing line. He said he avoided using polyester in crafting the pieces.
"It doesn't breathe. All the pieces in the line are made of cotton and breathable, so you can smell yourself," he said, chuckling.
"I don't like to wear things that everyone else wears. I've always wanted to be different."
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