Knicks x FLORA Chore Jacket

A locally-made piece of NYC's Knicks run.

Summary

Quick Facts

Solo Project by Shawki
My Role(s): Designer

Tools Used: FLORA AI, Adobe Illustrator, Thrifting

Release: June 2026
Timeline: 4 Days

Description

During the Knicks' unbelievable playoff run, New York was alive with a kind of energy that made it impossible not to want in — even as a lifelong football (thats 'soccer' for you American folks) fan rather than a basketball one. Official jerseys were out of budget, and didn't match the vision: something more "old money-esque," collared, and versatile enough to wear beyond game day. The project became a way to combine that vision with my own multicultural background — Indian and Middle Eastern — as part of what makes up the New York diaspora.

Objectives

Create an affordable, personal alternative to an expensive official Knicks jersey
Design something more versatile than a jersey — collared, "old money" styling that pairs with everyday clothing
Reflect a multicultural identity (India and the Middle East) as part of the New York diaspora along with the five different boroughs within the design
Use FLORA AI as a genuine exploration tool while still new to the platform, not just a shortcut

Challenges

Budget ruled out an official jersey, so the design had to work with a low-cost garment
Raw FLORA-generated concepts needed real cleanup before they were production-ready
Sourcing a blank garment that matched the FLORA concept within a tight budget
Finding a way to physically produce the design without any garment manufacturing setup of my own

My Approach

1. Concept and cultural direction

Defined the aesthetic: collared, "old money" styling, versatile beyond gameday
Wove in visual references to Indian and Middle Eastern heritage as the core personal element
Anchored the concept in the feeling of the Knicks run itself, not just team branding

2. Generating concepts in FLORA AI

Used the project as a hands-on way to learn FLORA while still new to the tool
Iterated on prompts blending Knicks-inspired elements with personal cultural motifs
Selected the strongest directions out of the generated mockups

3. Refining in Adobe Illustrator

Cleaned up line work, proportions, and detailing from the raw FLORA output
Prepared final vector files suitable for heat-press production

4. Sourcing and physical production

Found a budget-friendly chore jacket at a GAP clearance rack that matched the FLORA concept
Partnered with a local NYC heat-press shop to bring the design to life physically, intentionally supporting a small business over a big-box option