Like many fashion fans I was gutted when, in March, Adam Selman announced the closure of Adam Selman Sport, his sexy activewear line with jackpot-winning brand initials. Still, in that Instagram post he teased there were "big things happening" so I was hopeful we'd see more of him soon.
And sure enough, that was not the last we'd see of him. Today, Selman has been announced as the new Executive Design Director for Savage x Fenty Sport, the latest brand category of Rihanna's inclusive lingerie line. It's been in the works for a while.
"I got the final call right before Christmas, and I hopped on a plane in early January," he tells me over Zoom from Los Angeles, which now calls home after living in New York for the past 22 years.
Why couldn't he do both A.S.S. and Savage x Fenty Sport? "It was a personal decision to really make sure I gave this collaboration a fair opportunity," he says. "Also it will be a great crossover. I feel that fans of my brand will recognize a lot of similar languages and the same vibes. When I heard that they were thinking about doing Sport, I thought, 'This could make a lot of sense.'"
It's the latest iteration of Selman's design career: he launched his namesake ready-to-wear line in 2013 before pivoting his brand to activewear in early 2019. It's also the latest chapter of his longtime collaboration with Rihanna (never forget the CFDA nude dress). The two also teamed up on a Valentine's Day capsule for Savage x Fenty in 2020.
"We text each other all the time," he says. "I meet up with her and will say, 'This is what I’m thinking, this is what I’m feeling' and then she texts me ideas all of the time as well. It’s a constant collaboration. I’ve been involved with Rihanna for 12 years now, from River Island to Puma and Savage x Fenty. I did not do the Manolo [Blahnik] collaboration, but almost everything I’ve had a hand in, or consulted on, or been by her side."
The collection drops on November 9, which just happens to be the same day the Savage x Fenty show will be ready to stream on Prime Video, so you can expect to see of Selman's Sport pieces throughout, including low and medium-impact bras, high-waisted leggings, jumpsuits and a bodysuit.
"We wanted to make sure it made sense, because we are not willing to compete with the Nike’s of the world," he says. "We’re inclusive to the very sense of the word. It’s bold, and playful, and sexy, as it should be, coming from Rihanna and Savage X Fenty, so you’ll see a lot of sexy, body positive, and inclusive styles that are designed for the gym, but made to wear for life."
As for the campaign images, which include model Precious Lee and makeup artist Avani Gregg, it's all about the idea of "anything is a sport." "My dad was a high school football coach, and he was always trying to get me to do every sport — football, baseball, basketball, and I was just terrible at every fucking one," he says.
"So where I found my 'sport' was always in the outsider sports, like cheerleading and things like that. When I moved to New York I wasn’t necessarily at the gym, or doing traditional work outs, I hate running, so I’ve always thought of sports from an outsider approach, so the campaign really reflects that experience."
Photos courtesy of Savage x Fenty