NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Molly McCaffrey, the head of design at NYC-based apparel brand Terez, never expected to work in sports. But after earning contracts crafting fan wear for the MLB and NBA—with a NFL collaboration on the way—she can’t imagine backing down from what is often considered a male-dominated space.
“Honestly, I never thought I would be a woman working in sports design,” McCaffrey told 1010 WINS. “We really came at this from a fashion point of view, so when we were approached and asked it was a total surprise.”
Terez has been working with the MLB for a couple of years, but only this season began designing for the NBA, right as the New York Knicks make a run at the NBA Finals.
“This year with the Knicks has been super rewarding … seeing so many fans in the stadium wearing our designs is honestly the coolest thing,” she said. “Getting into the playoffs, We’ve seen more and more people than any other games before wearing Knicks gear and it makes me realize the customer is a real fan, she wants to be there and show off her outfit.”
A survey from last year found that 40% of the NBA’s viewership is female, and that women contribute to a significant chunk of apparel sales. Terez is working to tap into that market by designing clothes that are sold at stadiums across the country, like Madison Square Garden.
“This year we really wanted to design special pieces like jackets and sweaters, and things with a little bit of gemstones or some sort of specialty novelty item like that,” McCaffery said.
According to her, the Bomber jacket from the Knicks collection is the standout item of the season.
“It’s the most recognizable in the stadium because it has really bright orange and a nice creamy white, it really stands out against people wearing black or navy blue—when we’re sitting in the seats we can pinpoint who has it on,” McCaffery said.
In addition to the Knicks, Terez has designed for the Lakers, Celtics, Warriors, Cavaliers, Kings, Bulls and league itself as part of its NBA collaboration.
Yankees, Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants and Red Sox gear is also available for baseball fans from Terez’s MLB line.
“It turns out it’s something really fun to do, really enjoyable, and it’s given our brand new outlet to connect with fans and connect to our customers, and I love it,” McCaffery said.
Visit the Terez website for more information and to view of available items.