New Platform TUNL Launches At NYFW, Marrying The Worlds Of Fashion & Sports

The worlds of fashion and sports have always been intertwined, thanks to stylish athletes like Serena Williams, David Beckham, Dwyane Wade, and Naomi Osaka (just to name a few). However, 2024 has taken the interconnection to a deeper level. Between Zendaya’s tenniscore era, the celebrity guests at the Paris Olympics and the US Open, and various sporty fashion collaborations, now, style and sports enthusiasts are on the same playing field. On August 29, just in time for the start of football season (plus, the NBA commencement in October), TUNL, a media and e-commerce platform launched in order to unite fashion, sports, and culture even further.

If you’re an avid sports fan, you might already know TUNL was initially inspired by “tunnel outfits,” a.k.a. the look an athlete wears before a game. According to a press release, tunnel ‘fits are “the cultural phenomenon that blends sports personalities with luxury fashion and streetwear” — a subculture that TUNL aims to make mainstream. TUNL, the aforementioned interdisciplinary platform is fronted by creative studio Versus and creative director, Ashley Champ. Champ is joined by an impressive founding team, including co-strategic advisors Lenny Santiago, SVP of Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Les Green, former CEO of LeagueFits, a leading media platform for NBA and WNBA fashion.

On the fashion and design end, Brittany Hampton, former art director and design department Lead at Honor The Gift, is now TUNL’s creative strategy director, alongside Desyrée Nicole, Next in Fashion contestant, who leads as head of design. “Through our brand partnerships, designer collaborations, merch drops, and the TUNL Gala, we’ll celebrate the reverberations of sports and fashion in culture and let fans take part in moments that have previously felt exclusive,” Champ shared in a press release.

In honor of TUNL’s launch, the platform debuted the inaugural TUNL Gala on Sept 6 during New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 in partnership with Spotify. Inside Spring Studios in Tribeca, top athletes from various professional leagues, designers, and cultural trendsetters united, igniting TUNL’s mission. “Launching the brand during New York Fashion Week positions us right at the heart of where fashion meets culture,” Santiago shared in an official statement. “We're seeing how athletes are no longer just participants in fashion — they're leaders in it. TUNL is stepping in to give that movement the recognition and platform it deserves.”

Inside the event’s transformed venue, guests experienced TUNL’s own “tunnel walk” — a fitting homage to its namesake. There were exclusive lounge spaces for every sport, as well as a marketplace showcasing TUNL’s merch collaborations. In addition to Spotify, the TUNL Gala partnered with D’USSÉ as the official spirit; the newly launched Unrivaled League, an innovative women's basketball league; and Signet Jewelers x Zales, who displayed their official diamond-encrusted racket made in accordance with the US Open.

After its take-over of Tribeca, TUNL officially launched online alongside exclusive collections with American design company, Mifland, PINKFlamingoUSA x PRIX, and signature TUNL merch. “These collaborations mark the beginning of TUNL's commitment to bridging the gap between high fashion and streetwear, making previously exclusive fashion accessible to a broader audience,” the brand confirmed in a statement. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Hav a Sol Foundation, which provides new sneakers and apparel to the homeless and youth in low-income areas nationwide. Stay tuned to TZR for more TUNL news in the coming months — the brand teased frequent designer collaborations and capsules dropping throughout the next year.