The director showed up to the Oscars in a suit created in the basketball player’s team colours
Spike Lee opted to pay tribute to Kobe Bryant at tonight’s Oscars ceremony, after the legendary basketball player and his daughter, Gianna ‘Gigi’ Bryant, were killed in a tragic helicopter crash just a few weeks ago.
Rolling up to the (now pretty soggy) red carpet alongside wife Tonya Lewis Lee, the director’s suit was custom crafted by Gucci in purple and gold: the colours of Bryant’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers, with his number, 24, stitched to the lapels.
The two worked together on 2009 documentary Kobe: Doin’ Work, and became close friends in the years that followed – despite Lee's devotion to the New York Knicks. Recently, Lee revealed in an interview he was still ‘reeling’ after Bryant’s untimely passing.
Having taken home his first ever Oscar at the 2019 Academy Awards for BlacKkKlansman, the director is set to present one of the golden gongs at tonight’s event.
Keep your eyes on the site, @dazed, and @dazedfashion for more from the red carpet.