TUNL Hosts Inaugural Star-Studded Gala With Taraji P. Henson, Suni Lee and DJ Set By Mustard

Star athletes, rappers and trendsetters gathered at the inaugural TUNL Gala during New York Fashion Week on Thursday night at Tribeca’s Spring Studios, for an evening hosted by Roc Nation’s Lenny Santiago and basketball star Chloe Pavlech. TUNL — named after athletes’ pre-game “tunnel fits” — is a new media platform blending media and e-commerce, where sports and fashion intersect. The Hollywood Reporter served as media partner for the event, which was thrown in partnership with Spotify.

Representing the essence of TUNL’s brand, the venue transformed into a club-like lounge with a “tunnel walk” and guests were treated to fruity cocktails upon entering. Inside, there were previews of merch, Spotify-branded photo ops and a Zales + Prince collaborative installation, which included a stunning display of a lavender-colored tennis racket adorned with diamonds. The TUNL Gala also featured bars offering D’USSÉ-based cocktails, and chopped cheese sandwiches— a New York City staple —were passed around for those craving some grub.

One of the first stars to arrive was Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, who made the most of his early entrance: he posed for photos in a Spotify installation and played around with a photographer’s camera before settling into a roped-off seating area with his companions. The star-studded guest list included Taraji P. Henson, super agent (and Adele’s fiancé) Rich Paul, Rachel Lindsay, A$AP Ferg, Joan Smalls, Olympic gymnast Suni Lee and a dapper-looking David Banner.

The night featured DJ sets by producer Chase B and duo Angel & Dren, before the arrival of Grammy-winning producer and DJ Mustard, who closed the night. Mustard started off his set with a tribute to the iconic rapper Fatman Scoop, who passed away a week prior. “We partying, man. We gonna do it for Fatman Scoop one time,” the DJ announced before launching into “Be Faithful,” Scoop’s hit with Crooklyn Clan.

Mustard’s performance also brought out some of the biggest basketball stars of the night, including Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley, Boston Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown, Oshae Brissett (who recently left the Celtics) and San Francisco Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney. The NBA players nabbed a spot close to the DJ booth, grooving to the music.

Earlier this summer, Brown and WNBA star Kysre Gondrezick turned heads when they made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2024 ESPY Awards. They proved to be one of the most stylish duos in sports, with matching all-black ensembles. Speaking about his own tunnel fits with The Hollywood Reporter, Brown noted he has a team of stylists he uses throughout the year, “but for the most part, I style myself.” When asked if he has a favorite look, the Celtics player said, “Every look is my favorite.”

The event served as a kick-off for TUNL, which arrives via a team-up between creative studio Versus and creative director Ashley Champ. The company aims to bridge the gap between high fashion and streetwear, making fashion more accessible to everyday consumers. It is also working to centralize sports and fashion content through collaborations with designers and organizations, along with an online marketplace.