Les Deux Unveil Complete Refurb of Community Basketball Court in NYC
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Culture
Danish menswear brand Les Deux has invested $70,000 to completely refurbish two local basketball courts in Washington Market Park in Tribeca, with the funding for the redesign provided by Les Deux’s CSR platform, Legacy, where the brand gives back to communities they have a connection to.
This connection has been established by the parallel announcement of an upcoming sales office in NYC, the brand's first outside Europe, which comes on the back of sustained success in the US market with retailers like Bloomingdales and Nordstrom.
The courts, one full size and one half size, sit in the shadow of iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, serving as a community hub in one of the most recognizable areas in the world.
With brand-new surfaces, walls, and goals, the courts will offer a revitalized space for students of the local school and college just over the road and bring a small slice of Danish design to the heart of New York. This idea of cultural exchange and contrast sits at the heart of the brand, which was founded when two completely different people, an entrepreneur from the suburbs of Copenhagen and a creative with roots from abroad came together to chase their dream.
We wanted to make sure different personalities and backgrounds were reflected in the range of styles in the artwork, with something for everyone. Ultimately, it was all about ensuring the court stays an inclusive place that unites people around a shared passion, and hopefully, we’ve achieved that.
Likewise, the artwork on the court has been designed to reflect this duality, with contrasting elements that create a vibrant space that’s open to everyone. The court will be installed in collab with Danish creative duo, Kongstad Studio, and the non-profit Project Backboard.
Two of the driving principles in our process with Les Deux were community and playability: embracing the community around the court while creating a space that’s highly functional.
To celebrate the official opening today, Les Deux has organized a training session for local kids in partnership with pro coach and humanitarian Tremaine Dalton’s non-profit The Process Basketball, which trains some of the world’s most exciting up-and-coming players.
With so many cultures in Tribeca, I think better sports facilities like this court are a great way of bringing completely different people together through basketball.
There’s also a three vs. three tournament planned with a $2,000 prize for the winners’ chosen charity, and an official unveiling from the Manhattan Commissioner of NYC Parks, Anthony Perez.
“We’re the new kid on the block, and when you move into a new area you do something to introduce yourself. We want to show a small token of our appreciation to the community with something that everyone can enjoy, and bring people together through a shared passion, regardless of nationality or culture,” said Andreas von der Heide, Les Deux’s Co-Founder.
With the court, Les Deux Legacy, which was recently formalized into its own business with an initial investment of $150,000 from Les Deux, is expanding on its 2022 project funding a school for Syrian refugees near one of the brand’s production locations.
About Les Deux
Les Deux was founded in Copenhagen in 2011, when a law student from the suburbs met a creative guy with roots from abroad. As they began talking, one noticed the other's T-shirt: plain white with military patches sewn on by hand.
Two completely different people with two completely different backgrounds met – preppy and urban, creative and entrepreneur – and they had the spark of an idea to build a menswear brand based on their contrast and unifying people.
Over the past decade, Les Deux has grown from a small group of friends working out of a basement to an international community with clients like Bloomingdales, Harvey Nichols, and Galeries Lafayette, all powered by the mindset that when different people come together, anything is possible.
About The Process Basketball
The Process Basketball is a non-profit founded by humanitarian and former player Tremaine Dalton to give young people opportunities through sport. Tremaine is a pro coach who has worked with some of the world’s most exciting young talents, like Adrien Porras, and a range of national teams and charities.
Previous projects include tackling gun violence in the US, promoting gender equality in Europe, fighting poverty in Central America, encouraging multiculturalism in Israel, and fostering racial inclusion in Australia.
Through its outreach program, The Process work to improve the profile of basketball around the world and teach young players to become better people. Tremaine's work has been featured in outlets like SB Nation, FanSided, CBS Sports, Ouest France, and more.
About Kongstad Studio
Kongstad Studio is a Danish creative duo that works in various media including painting, murals, and installation. One of the first artistic studios to become a Certified B Corporation™, they find their inspiration from innovation and have worked with a foundation supporting children with cancer, non-profit housing associations, and more.