In anticipation of its Fall/Winter 2016 collection, NYC brand Death to Tennis has presented a short film starring actor Mahershala Ali, whom many of you know for his role as Luke Cage villain Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes.
The project, created for the Gangster's & Explorers collection, follows Ali as he ventures through Manhattan's Chinatown. He’s seen walking the streets and sitting outside of storefronts, while reading his favorite versus from The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. According to DTT designers William Watson and Vincent Oshin, the film is intended to express “the idealism of the thinker or explorer” as he contemplates the notion of “time.”
The gritty city backdrop compliments this season’s collection perfectly. The clothes were inspired by the gangsters of the 1950s, a time when even the seediest of criminals dressed impeccably. There’s a range of high-waisted pleated pants, wool topcoats, and crisp button-ups, as well as an assortment of cropped outerwear. It’s a terrific update to classic styles, which Ali pulls off incredibly.
The 42-year-old actor is becoming one of the industry’s most in-demand talents, as he has starred in hit such as House of Cards, The Hunger Games series, and the upcoming film Moonlight. But it appears Ali is also becoming a familiar face in fashion: Earlier this year, he was enlisted by Kenzo to star in its Fall/Winter 2016 campaign.
You can check out the DTT film above. The collection is available now at the brand’s stockists.
