Tenement is Sportswear taken to the next level
There is no doubt that the sport of basketball is unlike any other that hits closer to home in the Philippines, as it has been imprinted in the hearts of Filipinos. Not only has the sport become an influential athletic activity, but the effects of western culture, thanks to the NBA and it’s generational talent, have made a significant impact. In a sense, it has paved the way for sub-cultures to seep in since it can be seen through the mediums of fashion, lifestyle, consumption of media, and of course, the sneaker culture ingrained within streetwear. This is not surprising since all you need is a ball and a hoop, have these two simple ingredients and you're golden.
If you're unfamiliar with the word "Tenement," well, let me enlighten you. Fort Bonifacio Tenement, or just "Tenement," is a residential building in Western Bicutan, Taguig, in the Philippines. The place is well known for the court right at its center, which has become a breeding ground for hoops and art culture through the medium of murals. Intending to spread and feature basketball in the country, Filipino rapper Mike Swift started being involved with Tenement in the early 2010s; the basketball court became a place for the community to hosts both events and games, together with being a place for the youth to enjoy the sport, and the rest is history.
Fort Bonifacio Tenement’s court has been visited by prolific NBA athletes such as Paul George in 2015, LeBron James, and Jordan Clarkson in 2016. Along with attention of it’s sponsored stars, the basketball court was adorned with the Nike Swoosh and a dunking LeBron James as part of the Nike Rise Tour Campaign. A mural was also created last year in honor of the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant. Tenement Court has long been considered a landmark for where the hoop scene meets art. The mural installed on the court most recently features Filipino medalists from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics such as Hidilyn Diaz, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial.
All right, enough with the history lesson, let's talk about the brand itself because 2021 has been a golden year for Tenement so far.
Named after the basketball court as a homage to the local identity pride, Tenement is a Manila-based basketball lifestyle brand founded in 2016 and pioneered by Van Valdez. The brand was built from the cultures surrounding the Philippine community and its love for the game together with the influences of sports by reimagining and incorporating somewhat 80s or 90s retro aesthetics in the creation of their clothing line that is as much alluring not just to basketball fans, but to the lifestyle community as well.
The brand has partnered with Gatorade for the annual one-day 3x3 tournament and gives back to the community via initiatives with Unicef Philippines and the non-profit organization, Girls Got Game. At present, the brand is solely distributed by the country's first and only basketball-concept store Titan, a local name that has previously worked with Nike and Jordan in various collaboration projects.
Reeling in from their recent partnership with brands across the industry for a special project advocating voter registration and the release of their Peaceball collection earlier this year that composed of rugs, tees, and caps, the brand is back yet again for its second release this year.
This time around, Tenement releases its seasonal Sport Capsule. Their pieces are composed of six 100% pre-shrunk cotton crew neck graphic tees, donning an embossed Tenement Sport logo. These are complemented by a line of tote bags made in the U.S.A. from thick, 13 oz bull denim fabric. On top of this, the products were garment-dyed which induces deeper and more vibrant colors.
The full range of their collection is available exclusively at their website, ourtenement.com, and if you're interested to know more about the brand and its future releases, you can also head over to their Instagram (@ourtenement)