How Fashion Designer Don C Applies Pressure To Produce Greatness

As they saying goes, “pressure makes diamonds.” This would explain how these four influencers and icons have become some of the greats and rarest gems in their fields.  Moët & Chandon, the Official Champagne of the NBA, launched its Greatness Under Pressure campaign highlighted 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird, legendary jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills and fashion designer Don C as community builders and pressure applicators. According to the press release sent to For(bes) The Culture, each spotlighted luminary “was selected for their unique representation of Greatness Under Pressure, not only highlighting the crowning moments, but celebrating the journey, including all of the obstacles and accomplishments achieved along the way.”

As a returning Moët & Chandon partner, longtime fan and designer, Don Crawley, known in the industry as Don C, is most notable for being the founder of streetwear and sports apparel brand Just Don. By staying true to his passion and creativity, Moët & Chandon recognized Don C’s demonstrated perseverance and dedication from the brand’s 2019 Nectar of the Culture campaign. He exclusively told For(bes) The Culture that he has admired the Moët & Chandon brand and though he has partnered with them in the past, something about the Greatness Under Pressure campaign felt right.

“I knew I had to join this campaign because I’m all about the journey and even though I feel I’m still striving to achieve my greatness, the beauty is in the road you take to get there. You set a goal, then you go for it and make sure you are putting your best foot forward at all times,” Don C explained to For(bes) The Culture. “With this campaign, Moët and the NBA are really encouraging people to find those moments to celebrate along the way without focusing on waiting until that ‘big moment’ to do it because life is a series of big and small moments that all deserve a toast. I find a lot of inspiration in seeing other examples of greatness and that’s a big part of the campaign, too—the importance of the community that helps you achieve.”

For(bes) The Culture caught up with Don C about the Greatness Under Pressure campaign, his partnership with Moët & Chandon and the paralleling relationship between fashion and sports.

For(bes) The Culture: How do you exemplify what it means to execute greatness under pressure, and what’s a recent example?

Don C: I make sure that, in whatever I do, I’m always putting my best foot forward. At the beginning of my career as a designer, I worked really hard to earn recognition and to get people to believe in my creative ideas since I came from a music and finance background. While working alongside Kanye and Jay-Z, I was able to share my designs and see them take off from there. I think the important thing for me is staying dedicated and true to myself throughout the journey. I get a thrill from the pressure that comes with making your dreams a reality and love the space of connecting with the people who enjoy my art. 

For(bes) The Culture: When did your partnership with Moët & Chandon begin, and how has it evolved since then?

Don C: The first time I worked with Moët & Chandon for the Nectar of Culture Campaign back in 2020 and I’ve been an excited partner of the brand ever since. When they reached out for this campaign, it was obvious that I had to join in because it flows with who I am. Leaning into those obstacles to overcome and shine brighter is what drives me and so Greatness Under Pressure is really amazing. Moët and the NBA are both two brands at the top of their industries, that have faced pressure in their journey to the top and, even more, they are such a big part of the culture and of celebrations so it’s really exciting to see them team up officially. I can’t wait to see where our partnership might go in the future, but for now I’ll keep sipping on Moët to celebrate my wins. 

For(bes) The Culture: How have you seen the relationship between fashion and sports grow over the years, and how have you been part of this evolving relationship?

Don C: Back in the day, in the NBA, you might see one or two guys—maybe Walt Frazier or fast forward to Allen Iverson—rocking a fit when they head into the game, but now everybody is showing off. I would say the NBA is the most fashionable sports league and the players value their style on and off the court. There used to be this stigma that if you were an athlete you weren’t fashionable, but I always liked both and I love being able to create something that sits where the two intersect. Working with brands like Moët and the NBA that bring to life my passion and celebrate style and sports have been amazing experiences for me.

To view the full Greatness Under Pressure campaign, watch the video above.