By Cassell Ferere originally published on Forbes.com

Hockey is a sport that has found its way from Canada to the arenas, and streets of America, solidifying a culture of sports that relishes the winter season ice and the steamy summer pavement. The nearly 100-year-old premier equipment institution known as Bauer has been the supplier of gear for Hockey lovers from all over the world and was the first to put the blade to boot, creating the ice skate.

Today, the hockey cornerstone Bauer is launching its first-ever streetwear vertical called Bauer X with a micro collection and a collaboration with a streetwear innovator. Don C, the creative entrepreneur and the Chicago Bulls creative strategy and design advisor, is leveraging his Just Don label in collaboration with the Bauer X name. The partnership opens up two worlds to one another. A cross between streetwear and the love of sports, which Don C has been avid since the beginning of his career, hailing from the Southside of Chicago and following the local teams, including the Blackhawks hockey team.

Bauer has carefully crafted the collaboration noted by Greg Weinstein, director of apparel. Weinstein says that "Bauer X was carefully and thoughtfully developed, from an amalgamation of interests and hobbies across multiple audiences and networks. The brand's goal is to bring new audiences into the hockey realm by creating a product line built on the interests of those who may not already be aware of hockey. We drew our inspiration from elements of the following: hip hop, architecture, design, art, and sport."

Don C is the first to collaborate with Bauer X on a streetwear capsule, and the hockey institution has plans to collaborate with others, including brands and creatives. Bauer is expanding its already vast offering of hockey equipment from sticks to skates, shoulder pads, and masks while staying true to its aesthetic with its first drop as a lifestyle brand. 

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