Wade appoints creative consultant

Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning has named footwear and accessory designer Alejandro

Ingelmo as creative consultant for special projects for Wade, the new athletic and lifestyle footwear and apparel collection from NBA All-Star basketball player Dwyane Wade.

Selected by Wade, the chief brand officer, the appointment of Ingelmo marks the first design hire to the label, which launched in October last year. Ingelmo will collaborate with Wade on two sneakers, the first of which will resemble the basketball player’s current shoe that he has been wearing on-court this season.

"I've been of a fan of AI for a long time now and from the moment I partnered with Li-Ning I've been excited to bring him onto our design team," said Wade. "Alejandro's knowledge of mixing fashion and street elements into his designs mirrors my personal style and the vision for the footwear we will bring to the market."

Commenting on his appointment, Ingelmo added: " Dwyane’s style pushes boundaries with his edgy approach to traditional silhouettes. I've been very impressed with the on-court Wade sneaker designs I've seen so far and they're helping inspire my design, which I believe will be something very special and unlike anything else out there."

The designs will both debut during Ingelmo's autumn/winter 2013 runway show at New York Fashion Week in February, and will be available to buy in spring.