ALL- STAR STYLE
NHL star P. K. Subban talks with Aleesha Harris about fashion, family and suiting up for menswear retailer RW & CO.
When it comes to style, P. K. Subban doesn’t play around.
“There aren’t many times that you’ll catch me wearing jogging pants with slippers on,” Subban says. “It doesn’t really happen. I don’t like to leave the house looking underdressed.”
Whether talking about his on- ice playing style or his office fashion sense, the Montreal Canadiens defenceman ( whose full name is Pernell Karl Subban) just doesn’t do sloppy. “That’s just who I am,” he says. In fact, Subban admits he would rather be the one who is always overdressed for the occasion, which is why the hockey star can often be spotted wearing suits and button- downs rather than more casual options such as denim.
“I’d say 80 per cent of the time I’m wearing a tie and a suit. Or if I’m not in a tie and suit, I’m in a collared shirt,” he says. “I never want to be underdressed for anything. The worst feeling in the world is going somewhere and being underdressed.”
Subban’s approach to fashion made him the perfect fit to be the face of the latest menswear campaign for Canadian retailer RW & CO. — a role he’s held once before for the brand.
“They brought this opportunity to me a year ago — to myself and my family — and I thought it was a great fit. Especially because I see ( RW & CO.) as being very innovative and creative in terms of the ideas they’re coming out with, especially for their spring campaign in 2016,” Subban says of the partnership.
The time in front of the camera is a welcome respite from his usual routine of eat, sleep, hockey and repeat.
“These things are fun for me,” he says. “At least it’s different from hockey — it doesn’t involve a stick or a puck.”
Subban was joined by his brothers Jordan ( a Vancouver Canucks defenceman) and Malcolm ( a Boston Bruins goaltender), as well as father Karl, in his first campaign for the brand in 2015. He says he relates to the company’s wares because he can relate to their customers.
“I remember at some point in time, I couldn’t always afford $ 2,000 or $ 4,000 tailor- made suits,” he says. “The majority of people out there, from the ages of 15- 35, not everyone can afford those suits. So what I like is that I’m able to promote something that kind of applies to who I am and what I believe.”
Subban subscribes to the idea that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look and feel confident.
“I’m happy to support that,” he says.
The retailer’s latest men’s release, which includes slim- cut suiting options inspired by classic Euro- pean tailoring as well as options cut with a little extra room for athletic builds, was another draw for Subban to sign on.
“As a male, the first thing you think about when it comes to suits is them being uncomfortable. You don’t think of them feeling like your jumpsuits that you might wear around our house or your jogging pants and sweater,” he says. “You think about feeling restricted with tight collars around your neck. And with the athletic fit, I think it’s going to provide a lot more comfort for guys who wear these suits.”
Talking to Postmedia News from the Montreal- based photo shoot of his latest RW & CO. campaign last December, Subban gave the sense that he takes pride in not only his appearance, but also the art of mastering the skills necessary to mix and match his ever- growing wardrobe.
“What I look forward to every day is figuring out what the best combination is to wear that day, that I feel is best. That’s what I look forward to every morning,” he proudly admits.
“I enjoy putting together my outfits. I think a lot of people think I have a stylist, which is kind of cool, but I don’t.”
And it’s likely this enthusiasm for all things fashion that has caused the 26- year- old’s closet to grow to about five times what it once was.
“The cool thing about my closet is that it’s a bedroom now, it’s not just a closet,” Subban says.
But the exponential growth of his sartorial situation hasn’t changed the way he feels about the items housed within his closet.
“I have an appreciation for everything in my closet, whether it’s the shoes, the scarves, the suits, the shirt, the sweaters, the hats — I have an appreciation for all of it,” he says.
And as for any style regrets? Subban says he has none.
“I think people are always changing and evolving. And at that time, that’s what was cool to wear, or that’s who I was at that time.
“But then you change and you see yourself differently and you want other people to see you that way. So, your look may change,” he says.
“But I don’t ever regret anything I wore.”
So, who exactly is to thank for the professional athlete’s somewhat unlikely appreciation for both his wardrobe — and his sharp sense of style?
According to Subban, it’s his family.
“Since I was a little kid, my parents have always stressed that, when you leave the house, you should look a certain way,” he says of the familial influence.
“When you leave the house, you represent the family name, and you always want to carry yourself properly — and that’s not just with clothes, but also with being well groomed.”
And the biggest influence came from his two older sisters, Nastassia and Natasha.
Subban says it’s because of their influence that he’s willing to push beyond his style comfort zone to play with styles and trends that he might otherwise have steered clear of.
“Sometimes the things I wear, maybe most males wouldn’t wear them, and I think part of that is having the influence of my sisters telling me I should wear this or wear that,” he says.
“I’m not scared to try different things.”
But what Subban is hesitant to do is define his personal style. He would rather pass the puck on the topic because he’s not ready to put a label on himself just yet.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to define my style yet. I want to continue to grow and learn — and then add things to that,” Subban says.
“I would describe ( my style) as developing. I’m very traditional, but I like to put a little spin on it. I like to look a certain way, very classy, but I’m still just 26 years old, so I’m playing with different things.
“I kind of just want to be myself.”