Drake's OVO releasing new college apparel collection with five schools
Drake’s October’s Very Own (OVO) brand is going “back-to-back.”
The apparel brand founded by the 40, Oliver El-Khatib and the rapper is releasing a new edition of its NCAA limited-edition collection. OVO first released its collection of licensed collegiate merchandise back in September. Now it is returning to the space with an updated list of schools.
In a social media post released on Tuesday afternoon, the brand announced the second collection will be dropping on April 5. The OVO owl will be featured on each piece of clothing. Colors and marks from each college will be included. Pricing has not been released but clothes will be available in-store and online.
In the first college drop from OVO, a range of items including hats, hoodies, basketball shorts and varsity jackets were released. It’s unclear what this line will include, but the sneak peek included UCLA freshman Devin Williams wearing a Bruins-themed sweatshirt.
OVO is returning with a refreshed list of schools. North Carolina and Kentucky are both back, but UCLA, Kansas and Syracuse are all new. Alabama, Memphis and Texas were featured in the initial release.
OVO latest to leverage collegiate licensing
Drake and the OVO brand have been closely connected to college basketball. Kentucky head coach John Calipari got the keys to Drake’s $100 million mansion this summer so his team could practice. The rapper and singer has been around the program since the early 2010s; he even received a custom ring for the Wildcats’ 2012 national championship. Calipari was featured in promotional material for the OVO release this past fall.
More brands continue to license college marks, in part due to athletes being more visible because of social media and NIL. Vanessa Bryant announced on Instagram in the fall that UConn, USC, Kentucky, Oregon, Duke and LSU will partner with the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation this year.
All Nike schools, players from the five programs will be wearing Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant shoes throughout the 2023-2024 season. Vanessa Bryant gifted Caitlin Clark and Iowa women’s basketball team Nike Kobe “Venice Beach” sneakers last week.
And in August 2023, Mitchell & Ness added 60 new university partners, including Alabama, Oregon, Kentucky, Penn State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Clemson, Florida State and Georgia.