During a recent visit to Southfield’s Recording Compound music studio, Detroit Lions defensive back Khalil Dorsey and his friend Sophia discuss sports and urban culture with fashionista (A)lex(Z)ander. Dorsey, 25, is breaking down how he learned to dress in layers in cold climates while (A)lex(Z)ander, 29, explains that he was an elite high school athlete.
“I had all the hood dreams,” boasts (A)lex(Z)ander. “I thought I was going to the NBA as a kid, but I stopped growing, so I started playing football. I ran a 4.6, I benched 225 lbs. 22 times as a junior in high school.”
Dorsey looks at Sophia as they simultaneously burst into doubtful laughter. “No forreal, that’s not cap y’all,” (A)lex(Z)ander says as he can’t help but laugh with them.
Dorsey is a third-year NFL player who was signed by the Detroit Lions on December 15, 2022. He grew up in Ontario, California, and graduated from Northern Arizona University, where he was a standout track and football athlete. Dorsey takes pride in the fact that he’s had to work for every opportunity: he says he only had two scholarship offers coming out of high school and went undrafted in the 2020 draft. He signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, then joined the New York Giants in 2022, then was cut and out of football for three months until he was acquired by the Lions.
“I started applying for regular jobs that week and by the end of the week I got picked up in December … I was one of those people that anything people doubted me in, I would try to prove them wrong,” Dorsey says.
Shortly after arriving in Detroit, he met (A)lex(Z)ander through a family connection and the two built a friendship out of their love for clothes, music, and sports.
“It was very organic, his cousin is a stylist and one of my good friends,” adds (A)lex(Z)ander.
(A)lex(Z)ander, a Detroit native, is a celebrity fashion designer who moved to California in 2019 to pursue his career. He’s designed pieces for music artists Doja Cat, Big Sean, CKay, Erykah Badu, and was featured on HBO’s season 2 of The Hype. He started his apparel line LAB74 in December of 2022.
“It’s been a blessing, it’s been very transformative for me. Coming from Detroit and being able to represent Detroit the way I do is a blessing,” he says.
(A)lex(Z)ander fitted Dorsey in some flashy blue and black pants before the Lions’ October 15 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The outfit stirred up an equal amount of compliments and conversation from teammates and fans at Ford Field.
“I was getting a lot of looks, they were referencing me to Michael Jackson, and once we won they were like, ‘OK, you gotta wear those pants every week,’” says Dorsey through a laugh.
It wasn’t the first time (A)lex(Z)ander fitted an NFL player, but he says it was the most special.
“It felt good. In 2022 I had designed a fit for Matthew Judon that went viral. CBS News picked it up. That felt great, but to see a player on my hometown Lions wear my clothes was different,” adds (A)lex(Z)ander, who has since fitted Dorsey for three other game day outfits.
Dorsey has a modest approach toward fashion but he says he’s always willing to take chances.
“I try to mix it up, I tried the baggy style but it wasn’t really for me,” says Dorsey. “I do like the flare look at the bottom but not all the time. I like the straight leg look too, I do stay in my own little lane but I’m not opposed to what everyone else is doing.”
Inside the Lions locker room, Dorsey cites Donovan People-Jones, David Montgomery, and Benito Jones as teammates who also have a keen sense of fashion. When asked who would win a “best dressed” competition award, Dorsey says fellow defensive back Tracy Walker would win hands down.
“Tracey walker be putting some stuff on, I’m talking about jewelry collection, big coats, big hats,” Dorsey says. “That man has a different coat for the whole month and then some.”
Last year, Dorsey started his own line called Through the Pain clothing. The brand is rooted in emotional health awareness just as much as it is fashion.
“The logo is a crying face with a smile,” he says. “The reason behind Through the Pain is that everybody can relate and you’ll never see the tears behind the smile. When you first meet someone, everyone’s smiling, but I don’t know what he’s going through, you don’t know what I’m going though. It's an open theme for people to express themselves.”
(A)lex(Z)ander and Dorsey decided to release a collaboration with both of their apparel lines, something (A)lex(Z)ander saw coming since the day they met.
“He told me about the brand and I loved the concept so it was just one of those things where we had similar interests in regards to branding and fashion,” says (A)lex(Z)ander.
“It’s more streetwear and athleisure. I’m a comfortable person so I like wearing comfortable things,” adds Dorsey. “So I made trucker hats, beanies, we have flare bottom sweats, and sweatsuits. That’s mainly what I focus on.”
Dorsey has relied on (A)lex(Z)ander’s expertise for his fashion brand. He admits he had limited knowledge about finding manufacturers, materials, and other aspects of the logistics of starting an apparel line.
“When we first started I was like I don’t know too much about this stuff, so I want to learn from him and soak up as much as possible,” says Dorsey. “He’s given me the step by step of what we’re going to do and I’m putting in my piece.”
“It’s going to be sweats, and sweaters, several things,” adds (A)lex(Z)ander. “We’re going to do a small capsule collection and then we’re going to put out the whole collection for the summer. There’s going to be fashion shows for the collection in Detroit and Watts.”
When asked if we will be seeing Dorsey on a Lions roster sporting more game day fits next season, he responds:
“Hopefully you will. If not here, then somewhere.”
Subscribe to Metro Times newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
