Kansas State exploring ways to use the color lavender beyond just basketball uniforms
When Kansas State broke out lavender basketball jerseys for a throwback event at Bramlage Coliseum a few years ago, the Wildcats were trying to honor their past in a fun way and sell extra merchandise to fans.
Nothing more.
Little did they know they were onto something much bigger. Few, if any, could have predicted that EMAW nation would fall head over heels for the retro color that is defined as “a pale blue with a trace of mauve”, but it has rapidly become such a hit within the fan base that lavender is now every bit as popular as purple.
Turns out, K-State basketball won most of its games while wearing its classic, two-tone uniforms that feature dark purple shorts and lavender tops. Just like that, demand skyrocketed for the new color. The Wildcats quickly created full lavender uniforms and also incorporated the color into their white uniforms. Then coaches began wearing lavender apparel on the sideline for games, and there was no stopping the color’s popularity.
It has been en vogue ever since.
Fans now flock to retail outlets to purchase lavender shirts, quarter zips and jackets every time they hit the shelves. Some have taken to social media and bragged about their purchases.
The Wildcats want to capitalize on that popularity moving forward, which means you might start to see lavender beyond Bramlage.
“It is really about what can we create and put on our coaches that our fans like and want to buy,” K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Then we can put that out on the retail side of things. We have seen some other colors become popular in the past like anthracite and white, but nothing like lavender is right now. We are open to using it on anything that has people saying, ‘Oh, I really want that.’”
Before he goes any further, Taylor wants to make one thing clear: purple will always be the main color at K-State. He views lavender mostly as a men’s basketball color.
There are no plans for the football team to begin wearing lavender helmets next season. But other sports, like baseball, have used lavender well as an accent color on some of their jerseys. Perhaps the same could be done on the gridiron or the volleyball court or the golf course.
At the least, K-State football coach Chris Klieman will be allowed to wear lavender on the sidelines if he so chooses.
“From a uniform perspective the basketball team is the only team that can wear the color lavender because it was a traditional thing for them,” Taylor said. “We do allow lavender to be sideline gear or to work into the uniform. You’ve seen some uniforms with a little lavender in their stripes or within the wildcat, and that’s great. But purple is always going to be our primary color and lavender will never be a prominent uniform color for any sport other than men’s basketball. That’s my opinion for where we are today.”
Still, there are plenty of fun and creative ways to use lavender moving forward.
Taylor thinks the color will help K-State when it looks to negotiate a new apparel contract with Nike in the near future. The Wildcats quietly signed a short-term extension with Nike during the height of the coronavirus pandemic that will last until 2024. Ideally, the Wildcats would like to agree to a longer and more lucrative deal beyond then.
The possibility of selling mountains of lavender gear could be used as an incentive.
“One of their big pushes is that we need to get our retail sales up,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to make sure our stuff gets to the retail side of thing as quickly as possible. We struggle with that a little bit because there are two different groups we work with at Nike and that is one of the things we will talk to them about when we visit with them.”
In the meantime, Jerome Tang and the men’s basketball team will continue using the color lavender to strengthen their brand.
As long as recruits like it and the Wildcats are able to build on Tang’s sensational debut season in Manhattan, the plan is for lavender and K-State basketball to remain synonymous.
“Whatever the kids like,” Tang said. “It’s all about the players. We had uniform combinations at Baylor because the players liked it. Our recruits love lavender and so do our fans. My wife also thinks I look good in lavender, so that always helps.”