That very same day, halfway across the world in Detroit, 25-year-old NBA star Cade Cunningham walked through the preseason tunnel in a particularly strong autumnal fit: a patterned Louis Vuitton sweater, riveted double-knee jeans, and baby-blue Air Force 1s. While Malkovich went full “dressed by the house” with his double C ensemble, Cunningham wore the jeans like he’d just pulled them from his closet. A sweater, some sneakers, and some denim—a low-effort outfit with a high sartorial return.
And then came the third jeansman, the always-stylish Mahershala Ali. The two-time Oscar winner (and recent guest on GQ’s One More Question interview series) was in New York to promote his new movie, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. His jeans were shorter and wider, with a deliberate cropped fit that left plenty of room for the rest of his outfit to do the talking. And there was plenty to say: a striped shirt, a candy-apple-red jacket and beanie, patterned socks, penny loafers, and a printed scarf. The dark denim provided a quiet foundation for all those colors, patterns, and textures.
