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Since he was a child, Taron Barnes of Philadelphia has loved two things: fashion and basketball. As a kid, he played basketball and was pretty good at it. His skills led him to a short-lived professional career in Spain, but after his first season, the offers Barnes received were not what he expected.
At that point Barnes had to decide what he would do next with his life. After months of soul searching, he realized the only thing he loved as much as basketball was fashion. The 28-year-old knew he had a passion for clothes, sneakers, hats and fashion in general but he’d never thought of a life where those things would be his full-time job.
Turns out, it could be.
For the last two years, Barnes has been working as a celebrity wardrobe stylist. He has worked with some of the biggest names in sports, including NBA stars Kevin Durant, James Harden, Trey Burke and James Johnson.
The last two years have been a dream for Barnes.
“Over the last two years I have been able to travel across the country with clients and experience things I never thought were possible,” he said.
Barnes allowed me to follow him for a day, so I could get a close up of what life is like for a “celebrity stylist.” From court side seats to access to VIP Central at the Wells Fargo Center, let me just say the perks of having NBA athletes as clients is awesome. Check out the video!
“The relationships I built through the game spearheaded me to the point I am at now. A celebrity wardrobe stylist, merchandise designer and just a young entrepreneur helping make things happen with sports and fashion,” Barnes said.
Barnes also has been busy with his own brand, Drip Sold Separate, that he created in 2020. The brand has collaborated with WNBA star Kahleah Cooper, former Sixer Andre Drummond and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant.
One thing that Barnes said has been a big factor in his success is his ability to network and use his relationships to his advantage.
“This industry is 100% based on relationships,” he said.
“The Kevin Durant collab really happened because of a relationship I have with another player who was on Kev’s team. I would be at almost every Nets home game because I had clients on the team, so me and Kevin would see each other a lot.
“I made him and my client James Johnson both one-of-one hats, and one night was watching the post-game interview and seen Kev had the hat on. From there I reached out and we built a relationship.”
Fast forward to January 2023, and Barnes recently completed another milestone by collaborating with the Philadelphia Sixers, providing unique hats to all the players on the roster.
“One of my goals is to have all the NBA teams with one-of-one player exclusives. Being from Philly, this is something I am super proud of,” Barnes said.
For people interested in getting their own Drip Sold Separate gear, its new “City of Brotherly Love” trucker hat is available exclusively on www.DripSoldSeparate.com.
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