Five Fits With: BMX Legend and Style Maestro Nigel Sylvester
This week’s subject is international BMX star Nigel Sylvester, a generational talent who built his fame through his film series, Go, a point-of-view look through his eyes in some of the most epic and notable places around the globe. As one of the biggest athletes in the world, Sylvester has built an enormous network of talented friends, even referenced by Jay-Z on Frank Ocean’s 2017 track, “Biking.” He’s also built a reputation as a taste-maker, first collaborating with Nike in 2014, and later, more notably in 2018 tore lease his signature Nike Air Jordan 1’s.
I could continue to list off Nigel’s accolades, but instead you can learn more about him from our conversation below. We discuss the feeling of flying on his bike in his grandma’s driveway as a kid, turning his Go series into a book with Rizzoli, the process of collaborating with some of the world’s biggest brands, remembering his first big fashion purchases, and plenty more.
Fit One
Talk to me about your background, where you’re from, and how that impacted your biking career?
I’m originally from Queens, NY, specifically Laurelton. My brother and I are first-generation Americans, as my parents are from Grenada. Growing up in a somewhat strict household instilled discipline and taught me valuable life lessons I apply daily. Those values have played a significant role in shaping who I am today, both personally and professionally. Growing up in Queens also exposed me to a diverse range of cultures and perspectives, which has greatly influenced my creativity and approach to life that are embedded in my style today.
How did you start biking, and how did you make the transition to doing it professionally?
Biking started in my grandma’s driveway. I was an extremely curious kid. I loved the feeling of going fast and making ramps out of whatever I could find. Those days and the joy I got from them are priceless and forever engraved in my mind. I remember oftentimes I would pedal with as much speed as I could get and hit the ramp perfectly and soar ten or 12 feet far. It felt like I was in the air forever. I still get that feeling when I ride now; it’s one of my greatest feelings.
Around the age of 12, I discovered guys were riding BMX professionally as a career, and that’s when the dream was born. I was determined to become an accomplished Pro BMX athlete from that moment. I’ve dedicated most of my life to accomplishing that dream and truly fulfilling it, bringing exposure to the sport, and taking my BMX riding as far as possible on my terms.
Fit Two
What is GO, and can you tell me about the book you’ve also done with Rizzoli?
GO is a sports and travel-inspired lifestyle brand and a creative vessel for living out my imagination. GO started as a digital film series documenting my adventures around the globe exclusively filmed from my POV. As the series gained popularity, we expanded into a brand that has done several merch drops and collaborations with top brands like Levi's, Jordan Brand, and United Arrows.
Most recently, we released our first art book with Rizzoli, which showcases the GO series from inception to the present day through stunning photographs shot by Harrison Boyce. The book encapsulates my travels from every city I traveled to throughout the films and the iconic moments fans grew to love from the series, from jumping out of a plane in Dubai to sumo wrestling in Tokyo, fencing at the Somerset House in London, racing Ferraris off the coast of Malibu in Los Angeles, and some never seen before content. I wanted to give my fans a tangible product that could live in their home, that they could draw inspiration from, or simply admire the beautiful art we worked tirelessly to produce.
Fit Three
Can you remember how you first fell in love with fashion? What was your first big purchase?
I fell in love with fashion as a kid. Certain pieces made me feel powerful and gave me the confidence to take on anything, and I loved that feeling. It’s similar to when a superhero puts their cape on. A good fit just has that effect. I remember shortly after I turned pro and started making decent money, I would spend a significant amount of money buying APC selvedge denim. I loved riding in a good pair of jeans, and the quality and craftsmanship of APC jeans were unparalleled.
Let’s talk about your collaborations, for example those with Jordan brand, and this new RIMOWA case. How do they come about, and how do you approach them?
Right, two of my favorites. That distressed AJ1 we released in 2018, was monumental for me. It was my official stamp on the sneaker game. Sharing a story that’s very dear to me on a grail silhouette was a dream come true. We’ve seen the ripple effect of that shoe throughout the sneaker world for the last 5 years, which is the icing on the cake for me. That’s what I aim to do with my projects, I want to contribute to our culture through as many mediums as possible.
That also holds true for the RIMOWA bike case. The Rimowa bike case was born out of a need for a seamless travel solution for my bike, and I'm thrilled with the innovative product we were able to create. After many design sessions with their team and several iterations of the case, we landed on one of the most progressive Rimowa products to date. As a kid, you dream of these moments, I’m living out my inner child dreams every single day. Each collaboration is unique and exciting and a piece of me and my world, and I’m grateful to these brands for trusting my vision and for the opportunity to work with such brilliant minds.
Fit Four
What are some of your favorite brands to wear, and why?
I love wearing various brands that reflect my personal style and taste. Some of my favorites were worn for this feature, like MOWALOLA, John Elliot, Moncler, Prada, Air Jordan 1’s, Free The Youth, Kill Off Season, Diallo, Fragment, Sacai, Saint Laurent, and Celine.
It goes back to that feeling of putting your cape on. My favorite quote by Deion Sanders is, “When you look good, you feel good, you play good,” and that’s how I feel every day when I step out.
Fit Five
As this is releasing, it’s May, which I’ve been told is National Bike Month. Do you have anything on the horizon for it?
Yes, May is national bike month here in the United States. After launching the Nigel Sylvester Foundation in 2021, I decided that National Bike Month is a moment my team and I will celebrate each year by giving back to communities we deeply connect to. This year we’re launching our inaugural Pedal Forward event at Roy Wilkins Park in Jamaica, Queens, on May 13th. At the event, we’ll honor the kids of our SwitchingGears program and award ‘Community Leader of the Year’ and more. The mission is to encourage everyone to get up and live in motion. Your bike can be a means of transportation, or it can be something far greater. It’s whatever you envision.
If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?
A good black tee with minimal branding, slim black denim, red New Era baseball cap, and distressed AirJordan 1’s.
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