At the NBA Finals, Celebs and Fans Make It ‘Knicks But Fashion’

Taylor Swift, Timothee Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Spike Lee and Walt Frazier aren't the only ones making fashion statements at the Knicks games. As New York's best comeback story advances in the playoffs with three wins against the San Antonio Spurs, the city is welcoming a different kind of fashion week: looks that would make even WAGS turn their heads.

Swift donned a "punny" tee simply saying Steve Knicks, alongside the Haim sisters wearing Knickleback and Knickole Kidman, too. (Swift even gave her longtime friend, Law and Order: SVU icon and the inspiration for her two cats' names, Mariska Hargitay, a matching tee). Chalamet and Jenner continued their courtside runway reign in complementary Chrome Hearts denim fits, and Jordyn Woods brought her lucky orange purse back to Madison Square Garden to watch her fiancé Karl-Anthony Towns continue his winning streak.

But we have to look outside the Garden for some of the best street styles that bring fashion to the fandom. Celebrity stylist Tania Ali tapped into her lifelong love of the Knicks when dressing certain buzzy "die hard" Knicks fan clients, one of whom (Natalie Dougherty) renamed the Staud Wells dress -- a blue frock with orange railroad stripes -- the de facto "Knicks Dress" for the season while attending the luxe Frick Garden Party on a game day. Ali herself locked in for Game 3 with Mother Denim Lemon Twist wide leg jeans paired with a grey Hanes tank, official Knicks hat, an orange Desigual bag, and a NBA orange Knicks hooded sweatshirt tied around her shoulders.

"I think this series has brought out the best fashion because everyone is incorporating Knicks gear and colors into their individual style," Ali told PAPER. "Everything feels authentic and fun at the same time. You see personal style effortlessly blending with fan support."

Ali added, "I think the celebrity buzz has definitely elevated the fashion buzz. New York has always been integral to fashion and then add in the variety of celebrity looks, and it’s the perfect mix of fashion and sports."

Casey Kohlberg, fashion writer and founder and CEO of Phoenix Rising Productions, admitted that she is fully "jumping on the bandwagon" for the playoffs. "I'm loving the energy New Yorkers are bringing to the finals," Kohlberg told PAPER. When dressing for game day watch parties, Kohlberg has the classic Knicks hat in tow; she cites the Moda Operandi cobalt blue Made Some mini skirt and a blue suede Alberta Ferretti bag as other staples of her playoff wardrobe.

As drag performer CT Hedden captioned on Facebook, "Knicks but make it fashion."

But has the celebrity row element for the series elevated Knicks fans' fashion tastes, or is it vice versa?

"If anything, the celebrities are trying to look like New Yorkers and not the other way around," culture writer Shamira Ibrahim told PAPER. "The one thing about Knicks fandom is that it really is a fandom that belongs to the people, and we have always dictated the direction of how we move and how we like to show up and show support. We are a fandom that travels with our team, that carries New York on our chest. It really is a source of New York pride."

Ibrahim added, "That said, shout out to Jordyn Woods and her lucky orange purse. I hope that [her] bag line thrives forever and ever as we take this to the next championship."

There is also a wider level of Woods-esque superstition throughout the fandom, though. Auteur filmmaker Spike Lee had Pope Leo bless his Knicks jersey, and Knicks supporters everywhere are hoping to close out the series in five games which means rewearing key pieces to keep the good juju flowing -- and tossing out the outfits they wore during the single loss to the Spurs.

"On Monday, I wore a blue bandanna, a white crop top, orange pants, and white and orange Nikes paired with my Knicks tote bag. Then we lost so of course I’m never going to wear that outfit again," Ibrahim, a Knicks fan for three decades, said.

Former Jezebel columnist and author Ashley Reese broke it down: "The hope is that a good fit will add some good luck for the Knicks," Reese said. "I can’t explain the logic of it, it’s just not logical. [But] I don't think I can support a sports team without getting a little superstitious, and I definitely get superstitious about what I wear on game day."

Reese had to similarly shelve her blue and orange Hokas after Monday's Game 3 loss, saying, "Now I'm not going to wear those shoes to another finals watch party. I just can't." At least she still has another outfit option: blue Prada sneakers that proved to seal the deal for the team during Game 4 ("I will be wearing those again for Game 5," Reese promised).

As Jordan Frazes, founding publicist at Frazes Creative, described, "The stakes are higher, and so are the outfits." When asked who the best dressed player on the team is in her opinion, Frazes quipped, "Since Timothée Chalamet is convinced he’s on the team, we’re courting him: stylish, slightly unhinged, and completely committed to the bit."

Frazes herself is committed to showing her team support for the NBA championships. Frazes started the playoff series in "full Knicks uniform mode," which meant pairing Knicks jerseys Tibi or Adam Selman mini skirts and later incorporating orange and blue into her eye makeup.

Food influencer Sarah DelRosso, who recently became a Knicks fan after witnessing the playoff run during the 2024-25 season, also leaned into Knicks-inspired makeup looks: She got a manicure with Knicks colors alternating per each nail. As for accessories, her NY or Nowhere bracelet has been a "good luck charm" for the series, and like Frazes, DelRosso added Tom Ford eyeshadow with two shades of orange on her lids. "Any creative way you can wear orange and blue, I'll support it," DelRosso said. She even made an inaugural visit to the NBA store to snag a shirt that has the Knicks Eastern Conference Champions logo on it.

Images via Getty