In 1988, professional basketball came to North Carolina with the arrival of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. Desperate to make a splash, the new team made an unconventional early hire; they selected a famous fashion designer to create their uniforms. The Hornets lost 60 games during that bumpy first season, but they looked incredible while doing it. And their iconic look — purple, teal and pinstripes — would launch a global fashion trend that endures today.A version of this episode originally published on February 2, 2024.Featuring:<ul><li>Alexander Julian, fashion designer and creator of the original Charlotte Hornets uniform</li><li>Crystal McCrary McGuire, writer and documentary filmmaker</li></ul>Links:<ul><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2gMyjNiEVM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch video</a>&nbsp;from the 1988 Charlotte Hornets uniform reveal press conference.</li></ul> Cover photo: A Charlotte Hornets-branded Starter jacket that was wildly popular during the 1990s.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

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 &lt;p&gt;In 1988, professional basketball came to North Carolina with the arrival of the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. Desperate to make a splash, the new team made an unconventional early hire; they selected a famous fashion designer to create their uniforms. The Hornets lost 60 games during that bumpy first season, but they looked incredible while doing it. And their iconic look — purple, teal and pinstripes — would launch a global fashion trend that endures today.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A version of this episode originally published on February 2, 2024.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Featuring:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Alexander Julian, fashion designer and creator of the original Charlotte Hornets uniform&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Crystal McCrary McGuire, writer and documentary filmmaker&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Links:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2gMyjNiEVM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;Watch video&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;from the 1988 Charlotte Hornets uniform reveal press conference.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cover photo: A Charlotte Hornets-branded Starter jacket that was wildly popular during the 1990s.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See Privacy Policy at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy&lt;/a&gt; and California Privacy Notice at &lt;a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
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The Charlotte Hornets of the NBA lost 60 games in 1988, but they looked incredible while doing it. Their iconic uniforms would launch a global fashion trend.

The Broadside

How purple and teal became the colors of the 90s

How purple and teal became the colors of the 90s

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